Family Magic
by BeepKeeper
Summary: After the Tri-Wizard Tournament, journalists write inflammatory articles focusing on danger of loss of so many magical families. Everyone ignores report that Dark Lord has returned. Dumbledore convenes Order of the Phoenix where he and Molly Weasley push forward a betrothal between Harry & Ginny without considering penalties of Family Magic.
1. Chapter 1

This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy.

In Wizarding Britain, just after the conclusion of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, journalists write inflammatory articles that focus on the danger to magical society with the loss of so many magical families. Everyone ignores the report that the Dark Lord has returned. When Dumbledore convenes the Order of the Phoenix, he and Molly Weasley use the newspaper stories as an excuse to push forward a betrothal between Harry and Ginevra. Sirius Black surprizes everyone by agreeing and bringing out a betrothal agreement that gives Ginny everything if Harry dies before their eldest son is of age.

Without thinking of the repercussions of the Family Magic in such an agreement, Dumbledore agrees and Molly makes Arthur sign the betrothal agreement. While he rails at his godfather for obligating him to marry Ginny in just six months, Harry spends the months of July and August at No.12 Grimmauld Place with just Sirius and Remus.

People react in different ways and rush to solve their different problems without checking out the requirements and consequences of their choices.

(*****)

Chapter I: Family Magic

*(+++++)*

Part 1: Wizarding Britain Mourns

In the week following the end of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, the Ministry for Magic and the Daily Prophet ignored Harry's story about the return of the Dark Lord; they focused their attention on the end of yet another pureblood name with the death of Cedric Diggory. Each day for the next week, the newspaper listed the history of the thirty-seven names of families that were extinct or close to extinction after the 'Death Eater Insurrection'.

The paper generated fear among the purebloods from both sides of the Dark Lord conflict – who would their grandchildren marry if families kept dying out? The editorial board summed up the problem by stating: **The Ministry for Magic's position is that the Dark Lord cannot return! But with the extensive losses in the late unpleasantness, can Magical Britain return?**

There was a flurry of talk about mandating weddings for all single witches and wizards until someone pointed out the complete invasion of privacy should a law would require.

"Even the muggle Queen would object and the muggles would interfere if we were so short-sighted to take such a step – and rightly so! Each family must make their own plans and the ministry will remain silent."

The notion of tax credits or supplements for each child born also fell by the wayside – old men never give much value to supporting young families because they believed the cost of such support would come out of their own pockets.

(****)

In the gloom of Grimmauld Place kitchen, Sirius Black read the paper and the reports of the debates in the Wizengamot, before he turned his thoughts to the future. According to the stories from Remus and Minerva, Harry had been close to death from the Dark Lord's spirit or the wizard's minions every year at Hogwarts. He'd finally drug the details of the resurrection ritual that had brought back He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named from Dumbledore – Sirius wasn't allowed to visit Harry before his godson was sent back to the Dursleys for the summer.

The Dark Lord used Harry's blood to return to an almost human form. He was loose in Britain once again and now, the Potters and Blacks were close to extinction.

"And Dumbledore doesn't seem to care that another family would vanish… Like my own…"

Rising from the table, Sirius Black went to the library and began reading family journals and books on the power of family magic. During the coming week, Sirius Black slipped away from his 'jail' at Grimmauld Place with the help of Kreature and Remus to visit Gringotts on two occasions. With each visit, he set in motion plans to strengthen and safeguard his godson's future. First, he took on the mantle of Lord Black, head of the Black family. The moment he placed the family ring on his hand, he began learning more of the family magic, secrets, and mandates.

When Sirius met with the Potter account manager, he made several unhappy discoveries regarding disappearance of some funds, loss of some contracts, and one very unfortunate betrothal agreement. With the advice of the goblins based on things they were hearing from other clients; the new Lord Black strengthened his family magic as well as loaning strength to the Potter family magics – as godfather he had the right to protect Harry. He moved swiftly, knowing he would pay a price for using so much of his magic at one time, but he gladly sacrificed a portion of his sanity for the summer.

*(+++++)*

In the Diggory home, in Ottery Saint Catchpole, Amos and Sophia mourned the death of their son. A distant cousin callously sent a letter stating that he and his son would meet Amos at Gringotts on 1 August to take up the mantle of Heir Diggory as member of the magical gentry, they had to arrange a good marriage for the boy.

After reading the letter, Amos was silent for a time while Sophia buried her head in his shoulder to stifle her sobs.

"What are we to do?" Sophia finally asked. "Carl is a cold, unfeeling man to force you to make him your heir so soon…"

"We can't have more children," Amos stated. "The healers at St. Mungo's told us when Cedric was born that our magic would not 'spark' another baby."

"We both are too pure-blood!" the witch cursed. "Oh, why won't someone warn others?"

Amos was silent for another minute before he hesitantly asked, "Sophia, would you… could you mother an adopted child?"

"Adopt a child?" his wife asked her face turning toward him with a glimmer in her eyes.

"The ministry will help us locate a muggleborn orphan… perhaps two of them. We can blood adopt them and they'd be ours!"

*(+++++)*

In Surrey, Petunia and Vernon Dursley were perplexed by how quiet the 'boy' was – something terrible had happened at the end of the school year and his spirit seemed crushed. Rather than piling pain on top of his grief, the couple found they were content to leave the boy alone in his room or with a few chores that were completed with such speed and perfection that they suddenly found themselves feeling generous toward their nephew. He received full meals and they left him alone.

Dudley was smart enough to figure that some magic was in play but he never figured out that Harry had an invisible friend helping and protecting him this summer. When extra desserts appeared at Dudley's place at the table – and his mother didn't notice them – Dudley adopted an attitude that his cousin was 'alright'.

*(+++++)*

In a mostly deserted manor house in southern England, not far from Hastings, an elderly witch read the Daily Prophet and pushed it away from her plate of forgotten breakfast. Her tea was cold and she reheated it with a wave of her hand.

"Molly can't deny me forever!" the witch muttered. Then she snorted and again announced for the ghosts and sleeping portraits to hear, "And if she does, I'll see if my squib nephew has produced a magical child. The Prewitt name won't go extinct."

'_Any of the first three boys will do. Bill, Charlie or Percy can be the Prewitt heir this summer… before 1 August,'_ she decided and rose from the table with more determination than in several months.

*(+++++)*

Part 2: Disorder of the Phoenix

At the first informal meeting of the Order of Phoenix meeting following the resurrection of the Dark Lord, many wizards and witches attended and strangely enough, Molly brought the two underage Weasley children. Gathering at the Black family home at No.12 Grimmauld Place in London, Dumbledore reminded everyone that 'he' was the undisputed leader of the organization, and then he made preliminary assignments for guard duty around Privet Drive, the only item of any importance in his mind. Finally, members of the group gave their reports on Deatheaters, the reluctance of the ministry to recognize the danger in Voldemort's return, and the need for some donations to pay for the food that would be consumed here at headquarters.

"Headquarters?" asked Sirius, looking around his kitchen where the order members were gathered. "What do you mean?"

"Well, yes, Sirius," Dumbledore said with a smile. "This house is mostly deserted, but it is very safe and it is centrally located. The Order needs a safe house – Remus and you will be here all the time."

"And who else?" the escaped prisoner asked hotly.

Dumbledore's hand spread around the room, "Tonks, Vance, Moody, Fletcher… they all need someplace secure to meet and sleep from time to time."

"No…" Sirius objected. "I don't want all these people sleeping here and eating my food all the time."

"Sirius Black," Molly Weasley jumped into the conversation. "Don't tell the headmaster 'No' when he's asked you so politely. He knows best!"

"And I think the Weasleys should come stay here as well this summer," Dumbledore said. "The children will liven up the atmosphere."

"We brought our trunks with us," Molly informed everyone and that explained why the two youngest of her brood were attending the meeting.

"Again, no. Not until Harry comes!" Sirius demanded.

"We already discussed this Sirius," Molly announced. "The headmaster has decided."

"Now then, is there anything else to discuss?" Dumbledore asked as he cast a wandless silencing spell at Sirius but the spell appeared as a bright yellow ball of light that bounced off the shields around the wizard and hit Fletcher.

Minerva snorted and announced, "You're getting old Dumbledore! Everyone knows you can't cast charms on a wizard inside his own house."

Ignoring Minerva, Molly ploughed ahead announcing, "Yes, I have something more headmaster."

She turned around the copy of the Daily Prophet to display the headline about the disappearance of another family line. The paper was two weeks old but that headline about extinct family lines remained a topic of discussion in magical homes.

"I think we should take steps to make certain the Potter family doesn't disappear from Britain, like all these other names…" the Weasley matriarch said firmly.

There was silence for a moment but then Dumbledore nodded wisely. He placed the fingertips of both hands together under his chin attempting to appear in deep thought before he said, "There is much to be said about the loss of so many magical families in the past difficulties. Both Dark and Light magic are severely damaged with the end of so many lines."

Molly added, "My family is one. There's no one to take up the name of Prewitt when my aunt dies."

"Yes, Molly, but you represent a strong line with seven children. That bodes well for families looking to make alliances that will produce multiple, strong children," the headmaster said as the matriarch of the Weasley family smiled.

Arthur as usual remained silent but Minerva McGonagall sat forward, fearful of where this conversation was headed. She glanced at Sirius who appeared to be surprized somewhat by the conversation but not…

'_He expected this but perhaps not this soon,'_ the transfiguration professor realized.

Now Dumbledore nodded before he announced, "In fact, I believe it would be wise for me to bring forward an early betrothal for Harry and Ginny. They can begin their family early to guarantee that there will be Potters in the future."

"Wait!" Sirius interrupted.

"Oh, that's marvellous, headmaster," Molly agreed. "Are you thinking about a wedding this summer?"

"This summer?" exploded Minerva. "The boy's not yet fifteen and Ginevra is only fourteen as well!"

"Stay out of this Minerva," warned Molly.

"Stop!" Sirius yelled. "We must not discuss these private family matters in public."

Turning his kind grandfatherly gaze at the escaped prisoner, Dumbledore said, "Don't concern yourself, Sirius. As Harry's guardian, I have decided…"

Sirius stood and shouted, "But that's the problem Dumbledore; you're not recognized as my godson's guardian by Gringotts or magic."

"That doesn't make any difference," Molly insists. "The ministry recognizes the Headmaster as Harry's guardian. And Dumbledore knows best!"

"Only if you don't care about the Potter wealth," Sirius spat and stopped all conversations in the room. Even Dumbledore was listening attentively to the wizard standing at the head of the kitchen table.

"What do you mean?" demanded Molly. "Ginny will be wealthy – Ginny and Harry will be wealthy – after they get married."

Shaking his head, Sirius said, "Not if they are not properly betrothed before the wedding. They must follow the requirements of the Potter family magic if you want them to be Lord and Lady Potter."

"What did you do to the Potter family magics, Sirius Black?" Dumbledore asked, allowing his anger to show slightly when his generous plans were endangered suddenly.

"I am not a Potter!" Sirius snipped back. "No one can change the family magic – at least outsiders can't change it! But I was raised a pureblood in the Ancient and Noble House of Black – I know how the Noble and Ancient family magics work. And you must remember that Harry's family is both 'noble' and 'ancient'. The Potter family magics are important!"

Now Remus Lupin joined the conversation and explained, "Sirius is recognized by magic as Harry's godfather – he must be the one to take Harry to Gringotts to retrieve the heir's ring."

He continued explaining, "Sirius help Harry learn about his family magics and at the appropriate time, he's the one who should place the ring on his betrothed's finger."

"But Sirius can't go to Gringotts!" Dumbledore roared.

Remus waved away Dumbledore's objection, "He can if we have permission from the goblins for Sirius to come with Harry to the bank while he uses Polyjuice."

"Why would Harry use Polyjuice?" asked Ron from the far end of the kitchen table.

"Sirius would use the Polyjuice," Remus explained.

"Why?"

"He has to be in disguise."

"Why?" asked the boy as he continued to eat the biscuits his mother provided for the meeting.

Molly yelled, "Shut it Ron!"

"So, you propose that Sirius goes with Harry to Gringotts…" Dumbledore said as an opening for Remus to continue.

"They will be able to access the Potter family vault and get the Heir ring."

"Why would I want Harry to know he has another… why he has an 'heir's' ring?

"Again, do you want the betrothal to be valid or not?" asked Sirius.

"The betrothal will be valid because Dumbledore and I signed the agreement," Molly argued. "We just put the ring on Ginny's hand and then they can get married."

"No," Sirius said, shaking his head. "If you want the Potter family magic and vaults to accept Ginevra as the future Lady Potter, Harry has to be recognized as Heir Potter and you have to have an agreement freely signed by me, and Arthur Weasley. Dumbledore can be the witness for the ministry."

"But…" Molly attempted to argue with the man.

"Otherwise, when they marry, Ginevra will only be a concubine and her children cannot inherit the estate," Remus explained and watched the horrified expression grow on Molly's face.

Nodding, Sirius added, "And Harry would have to take a second wife to be 'Lady Potter'. That witch would bear the heirs to the Potter fortune. He could give Ginny a cottage and pay for the children to go to Hogwarts but they wouldn't inherit anything."

"A concubine! Not my daughter!" exploded Molly.

"That's not right! Like I'd ever allow another girl to get her hands on my Harry!" screamed Ginny, proving she was her mother's daughter.

Minerva McGonagall watched everyone carefully as Sirius and Remus manipulated the different players in this foolish game.

The transfiguration professor cleared her throat and said, "Albus – Molly – the old families are very strict with the steps for naming the family heir and formal betrothals. You can't get around them with shortcuts; the consequences would be severe otherwise."

The werewolf caught Molly's eye and added, "But if you follow the proper process, magic will bless the union and make it very strong with powerful children."

Sirius nodded, "I remember how it was for Harry's parents – James was officially named 'Heir Potter' and put on the ring. Then thirty days later, Lily became his betrothed, and six months later they were married."

"Why did they wait six months?" asked Albus, who would never admit it but he was learning something new this evening.

"The family magic demanded that James and Lily have some time for the new magics to settle. That's why Harry needs to be 'Heir' for thirty days before the betrothal takes place."

Sirius was consulting a calendar and said, "If Harry can come to Grimmauld Place today and we get permission from the goblins, I can take him to the bank in the afternoon tomorrow. Then thirty days later would be 5 August and you can perform the betrothal."

"Wait, then six later months would be in February!" Ginny scowled. "I don't want to get married in the middle of the winter!"

"It would be a Valentine's Day wedding," Remus mentioned and the girl's face changed.

"How romantic!" she suddenly gushed and nodded toward her mother.

Sirius carefully asked, "So, Molly, can you convince Arthur to sign a valid betrothal agreement?"

As the woman scowled at the idea that her husband would disobey her, Black produced the betrothal form, summoned a blood quill from his office and struck thru about half of the agreement before he wrote in Harry's name.

"What's the lines you're removing?" asked Dumbledore.

Sirius explained, "I want Harry to have a full partner with his wife. She'll be responsible for the vaults and estate if anything happens to Harry before their eldest son comes of age. She'd be 'Lady Potter' and entitled to sit in the Wizengamot."

Delighted that Black would not place conditions or guardians around her daughter's possession of the Potter fortune after the boy died at the hands of the Dark Lord, Molly handed the form to Arthur and showed him where to sign with the blood quill.

Then Sirius moved the form to Dumbledore and said, "Would you sign as witness, headmaster? That would remove any hesitation on the part of the ministry to approve the form."

Albus took the blood quill and signed his long name before handing the quill back to Sirius who signed the agreement, and then muttered something in Latin before he touched the betrothal agreement with his wand. The form glowed white and vanished for almost five minutes before copies appeared on the kitchen table with seals from Gringotts and the Ministry.

"Now Harry belongs to Ginny!" Molly crowed.

*(+++++)*

Part 3: Popping Harry to Grimmauld Place

"Now, the Weasleys must remain at the Burrow so that Harry can come here," Sirius said as he rolled up his copy of the agreement.

"What?" asked Molly. "We're supposed to live here at headquarters from now on."

Dumbledore frowned hearing the man's statement – with the Weasleys here at Grimmauld Place, Molly would keep Sirius under control. Without Molly here, Sirius might get into mischief or give Harry too much information.

"I want to be here with Harry," whined Ginny.

"Why can't we live here?" asked Ron without thinking about it. Isolated in London, there'd be no afternoons spent in the orchard flying – only rooms to clean, books to read, and clothes to wash.

"Mrs. Weasley, you don't want anyone to think there's anything improper occurring, do you? Gossip would spread about a 'hurried' wedding…" Remus explained in a voice just above a whisper but heard by everyone.

Nodding her head in agreement, Minerva said, "The gossip at Hogwarts would be awful. Imagine what the Slytherins would tell Rita Skinner to report in the Daily Prophet…"

"And any quick baby would be subject to gossip about its true parentage," added Remus.

"Lavender Brown would eat that story alive and call Rita Skeeter on the floo from the common room," Ron admitted.

"We'll stay at the Burrow!" Molly ordered her children. "We'll go home now and we can unpack the trunks after breakfast tomorrow."

With Molly, Arthur and their two youngest in the lead, Dumbledore hurried from the kitchen to exit Grimmauld Place via the floo, and while he was followed by the other members of the Order of the Phoenix, Minerva McGonagall hung back as the others left. Once the room was clear of visitors Sirius summoned Kreature and ordered the elf to scour the room for listening charms, trinkets and spells left behind.

When the old house elf respectfully reported that the room was clear, Minerva whispered, "I know this isn't a prank but what are you thinking? Harry will end up saddled with Molly Weasley as his mother-in-law for the rest of his life."

"And with the bottomless pit as a brother-in-law," Remus added.

Sirius frown and his eyes were dark with anger. "I could not win a fight with Dumbledore and Molly about obligating Harry to the Weasley girl. Dumbledore would keep my godson locked up for the entire summer and I wouldn't be able to teach him anything."

The wizard shook his head and said, "My first concern must be to protect Harry and his heritage."

"I know that the Potter family magic will not allow marriage to a woman not worthy of the title Lady Potter," Sirius said. "I don't know how magic will react, but the headmaster and the Weasleys won't care for the results if 'Gin-Rummy' isn't worthy."

*(+++++)*

Remus escorted Minerva to the floo in the lounge while Sirius read through the betrothal agreement once again, when the house elf popped back into the room.

"Excuse Kreature, Disappointment of a Master," Kreature said as he bowed before Sirius in the deserted kitchen.

"Yes?" the dogman replied as he studied the document without looking at the elf.

"Kreature looked for Dobby Potter Elf at Hoggiewarts like you ordered. But the elf already be's at half-blood's house and makes the nasty mudbloods be nice before they coulds hurt half-blood. Your godson be sad but he be healthy."

"Excellent work Kreature. Now, go tell Dobby to bring Harry and his belongings here tonight, the sooner the better."

*(+++++)*

SCENE: Harry Yells at Sirius

Once Harry appeared in Grimmauld Place with Dobby, there was a happy reunion with this godfather and with Professor Lupin. Dobby and Kreature provided Harry with clean clothes, potions and a good dinner. After he ate dinner, Sirius and Remus began to explain the events that led to his quick arrival at Grimmauld Place. The discussion quickly turned into a shouting match.

However, about an hour later after Sirius and Remus explained the betrothal agreement to the fourteen-year-old, he fell silent. Taking this for a good sign, Sirius explained that the wizarding world was desperate to prevent more old names from going extinct.

"So rather than admitting that Voldie-shorts is back, the ministry wants teenagers to get married and start banging out babies?" Harry asked, sneering at the two grown wizards. "Is Dumbledore going to open a nursery for babies at Hogwarts?"

Sadly, Sirius had to nod but he added, "Harry, I'm sorry but I am trying to find the best…"

"I don't want to marry Ginny!" roared Harry. "I'm fourteen and I don't want to get married on Valentine's Day!"

Standing at the kitchen table, Harry picked up a plate and threw it against the wall, breaking it into a hundred pieces. Then he picked up a goblet and more plates that he threw against the walls leaving the floor covered with shattered china.

"Stop!" Remus insisted. "You're just making the house elves happy by busting up the china!"

Harry hissed, "I don't like Ginny – all she does is talk about other boys and kiss them. And her brothers are jerks!"

"Fred and George torture everyone and Ron…" Harry trembled with anger and hurt. "He deserted me again last year… He claimed I cheated to get into that damned tournament and he laughed at Malfoy's stupid buttons."

"I understand," Sirius said but when Harry looked up at this godfather, the wizard paled at the anger and fire in the boy's green eyes.

"No, you don't," Harry spit. "Cedric died for nothing – 'your friend' Wormtail killed Cedric for just being there with me. If I'd left Diggory behind, he would still be alive! And him dying is the reason you, Dumbledore, and the Weasleys are using to make me get married!"

"I'm sorry about your friend," Sirius said but the teenager wasn't through.

Harry's face was sour and angry when he said, "You're just as bad as them making me marry Ginny."

In the silence that fell upon the kitchen, the teenager sighed and said, "I'm going to bed. Where is the cupboard you want me to sleep in?"

"What?" asked both wizards.

Harry motioned around the house, "This place is a pig sty. You must need me to clean it up for you before you sell me to the Weasleys… where's the cupboard I have to sleep in…"

"You're my godson", Sirius insisted. "You have my brother's old room and your elf Dobby cleaned it up for you."

*(+++++)*

SCENE: Next Morning at Grimmauld Place

An owl from Gringotts flew into the kitchen where Sirius, Remus and Harry were eating breakfast without any company from members of the Order of the Phoenix. When McGonagall left last night, Remus quenched the fire in the fireplace and closed the floo. Sirius 'forgot' to order the elves to start the fire again this morning so there were no visitors. With the powerful wards and charms on the house, only official owls from Gringotts and an expensive owl delivery service in Diagon Alley could find the house.

After reading the letter, Sirius grinned and said, "We have permission for Remus Lupin and Harry Potter to appear at the bank at 10:15 this morning to see the account manager for the Potter accounts."

"Whoopie," Harry snarked. "One step closer to misery and jail."

"Harry…"

The teenager ignored his godfather and concentrated on eating his breakfast eggs and toast.

"Harry, you really need to listen to me. This is to protect you and your family vaults," Sirius said.

Remus rose from the table and said, "Let me head to the library. You two can talk without me here."

Harry watched the best DADA professor he'd had at Hogwarts leave the kitchen for the library as Sirius squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. Kreature and Dobby were quietly washing dishes and Sirius saw the boy's eyes flicker toward the elves.

"Kreature, Dobby, can you come here please," Sirius asked. Both elves dried their hands and ran across the kitchen to stand beside the table.

"Tell Harry about your plans…"

"Plans? Worthless, stupid master knows that Kreature has no plans! Only orders to protect the House of Black, prepare worthless master's food, and take care of worthless master's godson," the first elf said. "No ones harms half-blood Harry Potter while Kreature here…"

"Dobby is Harry Potter's elf. No one harms my Harry Potter. I takes care of his clothes, his food and his bed," stated Dobby.

"They can't tell anyone what we say?" Harry asked. "No one?"

"No. Even Kreature won't say a word to anyone else and I know that Narcissa Malfoy has been calling him each week for the last month."

"Malfoy?" Harry's face showed his fear and distaste to hear the name of his hated rival from Hogwarts.

"She's my cousin and Lucy, her snot of a husband, wants to know where I am so he can get me arrested and kissed. He thinks that Draco is the next Lord Black after me."

"Draco? We're kin to Draco Malfoy?"

"Yeah, real kick in the bullocks, ain't it?"

Harry wiped his face with his hands and said, "This is all a nightmare. Weasleys, Ginny, married, Draco is my cousin…"

He shuddered and asked, "Does this mean I'm related to Bellatrix Lestrange?"

Sirius nodded and Harry laid his head in his arms on the table, gasping for breath as he dealt with that news. After a couple minutes, the boy raised his head and commanded, "Okay, we're alone with our elves. Tell me quick – really quick – convince me – why I don't encourage Kreature to poison you so I can escape to America!"

The marauder's eyebrows almost disappeared into the shaggy haircut he still wore as Dobby began laughing. Sirius glanced at Kreature who merely stared back without an expression on his old face.

"The elf probably does have a dozen poisons handy…" Sirius admitted.

"Twenty-two," Harry replied. "I asked him last night. Most of them are extremely painful… as bad as having Ginny for a wife, Molly Weasley for a mother-in-law, and Moron for a brother-in-law."

"Moron?"

"Ron with a 'mo' in front… Mo-ron," Harry explained coldly.

Sirius closed his mouth after a moment and turned to his house elf, "Kreature… would you really…."

"Half-blood be honourable and brave. He fights nasty Dark Lord who kills my master Regulus," Kreature said. Glancing once at the teenager, the elf admitted, "Harry Black is godson, Lord Black's heir, and makes good Lord Black if you dies sudden like."

Dobby nodded and said, "Dobby knows my Harry Potters makes a good lord for Potters and for Blacks so dog-father must be good wizard and explain why we lets him live and stay here with my Harry Potters."

Sirius smiled ruefully, "Excellent. You have corrupted the house elves already. That's true marauder!"

Harry shouted, "This is not a prank! You've ruined my life with this Weasley betrothal agreement. They'll run through what little money I've got in my trust fund in six months! When I marry Ginny, we'll be broke, and have to live in that chicken coop for the next fifty years!"

Now Sirius focused his attention on Harry and asked, "I thought that you at least liked the Weasley family?"

Harry shuddered, "I did at first but after four years of Ron's farts, fighting with everyone, and eating anything that moves, I'm tired of him. His brothers prank everyone; the little kids are hurt every week and McGonagall can't make the twins stop because Dumbledore thinks their pranks are cute – like you and my father at Hogwarts when the entire school was afraid of you."

Sirius blushed to hear his godson speak those words and almost missed Harry saying, "Ginny chased me beginning in her second year, Molly sends me sweaters and squeezes me to death twice a year and thinks that makes her my mother…"

"What about Arthur?"

Harry's mouth went flat and he explained, "That's my future now. You've tied me to Ginny and in ten years, I'll be just like Arthur – a mouse who only squeaks when his wife tells him to."

Nodding again, Sirius began to explain, "I knew as soon as I saw that headline in the Daily Prophet that Dumbledore would do something about the Potter family vaults. He keeps throwing you into confrontations with old Vomit-face, and I think eventually, he wants the Dark Lord and you to duel to the death."

Now Harry asked, "What do you mean 'vaults'?"

"You're rich, Harry. Your Dad was the sole heir to the Potter fortune. When he died, you became one of the wealthiest wizards in Britain."

This news only made Harry explode again, "Then why was I starved and beaten as a child? Why was I dressed in rags my entire life? Even when I went to Hogwarts my first year, I had rags on underneath those robes! I have never had a good pair of shoes! Never!"

"It's my fault," Sirius admitted. "I put vengeance before your needs and Dumbledore managed to send me to Azkaban within four days of that night."

Harry frowned, threw his tea mug against the wall and said. "So, you suffered too? Good…"

There was a moment of silence in the kitchen as Kreature silently cleaned up the busted mug and Dobby provided his wizard with a new mug of tea.

"What's your stupid plan?" Harry finally asked.

Clearing his throat, Sirius began in explanation. "The betrothal agreement we signed last night makes Ginevra your heir if you have at least one son with her and if the Dark Lord kills you but only until your eldest son reaches the age of seventeen."

"What's to keep her from killing me?"

"The betrothal agreement doesn't allow any murder between you and your intended – or her family for that matter."

"What's to keep her or one of her brothers from killing our son before he turns seventeen?"

"Again, the betrothal agreement. Ginevra Weasley and her family must all be worthy of being related to the Potters."

"And if they're not worthy?"

Sirius grinned.

Harry frowned but turned to the elves and pointed to Sirius and said, "Don't kill him… yet. Let's see what happens."

*(+++++)*

Part 4: Gringotts 8 July 1994

There was a long queue in the bank this Friday morning. Arthur, Molly, Ginny and Ron arrived in the lobby at 8:00 and waited for Sirius and Harry to appear.

"Now remember, Ginny, when they show up, you're to ask to go with them. See if you can convince Sirius to let you have betrothal ring today," Molly instructed her daughter.

"Molly, I really think we must discuss this arrangement… this betrothal will Bill," Arthur suggested. "We never had a such things in the Weasley family and we need to be careful."

"Nonsense," Molly replied. "What could Bill know about betrothals? He's a curse-breaker, not a contracts manager."

"Why do we have to wait here for Harry?" asked Ron. "These seats are hard and I want to go back to sleep or get something to eat."

(****)

Just after 9:15, Bill Weasley came out of the back of the bank and approached his parents. He immediately recognized that his mother wasn't pleased to see him though his father, sister and youngest brother were.

"Bill, why are you here?"

"Son, it is good to see you!"

"Oh Bill, I'm so excited!"

"Got any money, Bill? I need something to eat and the Leaky Cauldron is just across the alley."

Bill hugged his sister, father, and mother, before grinning at Ron.

"I work here, Mother. And any visitors who just sit in the lobby for an hour are identified and examined to see if they are going to attempt to rob the bank," Bill explained. Molly's eyes glanced around at the goblins holding spears – they were present in each corner of the room.

"I'm glad to see you too, Dad."

He flipped a galleon to his brother and said, "Run get yourself another breakfast but I expect change back!"

"Ginny, how's my favourite sister, and what's got you excited this morning?"

Ginny leaned in close and whispered, "I'm going to be betrothed today!"

Bill quickly cast a notice-me-not on his sister and motioned for her to not say anything else.

"Why should I be quiet?" she asked loudly as the notice-me-not was broken. Ginny was Molly's daughter and had inherited her mother's loud voice.

"You can't talk about these things here in the lobby!"

"Why not?" Molly asked. "Everyone will know soon enough."

"But until it is announced properly, you must be private…"

"That's just that Ancient and Noble crap," Ginny announced as she watched Ron disappear out the door to the Leaky Cauldron.

Bill sighed, "Please, let's be quiet. I'll get us a private room…"

"But Ron…" Molly mentioned.

"The guards will direct him to us when… if he comes back. A galleon will let him eat breakfast for at least two hours."

Once they were behind closed doors, Bill asked, "Who are you waiting to meet?"

"The boy-who-lived!" Ginny declared. "We're getting engaged!"

"Engaged?" Bill asked. "Do you mean betrothed?"

"It's all the same thing," Molly dismissed Bill's concern.

"And how long has Harry Potter been Heir Potter?" asked Bill.

When his mother and sister refused to answer, Bill turned to his father. Arthur explained the betrothal agreement that had been signed the previous night and the plan to bring Harry to the bank today for him to become Heir Potter.

"Then it'll be a least a month before you can activate the betrothal," Bill said. "Family magic can't be rushed without…"

"Oh, Merlin! Not you too?" his sister groaned.

"Ginny," Bill said taking his sister by the shoulders and looking her directly in the eyes. "This is not a game and not just about gold, vaults and names. If you're going to be the wife of the heir of some noble house, you have to pay attention…"

"Bill don't scare her," Molly admonished. "A betrothal of six months will be long enough for Ginny to get used to the idea of being Lady Potter."

"Only six months!" Bill roared. "That's too young to marry!"

Molly shook her head, "Headmaster Dumbledore feels that we can't wait for the children to be older. We have to make certain there's an heir to the Potter name before he has to battle the Dark Lord."

"What does Albus Dumbledore have to do with Ginny's engagement to Heir Potter?" asked Bill, his glance moving between his father and mother. "This is a family matter and you can't…"

"I like how that sounds," Ginny whispered, "Imagine all the girls reading 'Ginny Weasley is engaged to Heir Potter'."

"Yes, we can!" Molly insisted. "You don't live at home and your opinion is neither wanted nor welcomed! I… Your father and I decided that this is the best course for Ginny's life."

It was now 9:37 and the door of the private room opened as an elderly witch entered and after closing the door behind her, stopped and snorted.

"And this is a happy family reunion I see," Muriel Prewitt commented acidly.

"Aunt, why are you here?" Molly asked. "I can't deal with both Bill and you today."

Stepping further into the room, removing her outer cloak and laying across the back of a chair, Muriel turned toward her closest magical relative.

"I called the Burrow and you're not home. Then I floo called the twins in their new shop and Fred said you were all here at the bank, just where I needed you."

"At the bank?" asked Molly, hopeful her stingy aunt would finally share some of gold in the Prewitt vault with her.

"There's no money in it for you Molly Grace! You spent your bride price in the first year of your marriage and have whined ever since that I should give you more money."

"Shut it!" Molly demanded.

"Nonetheless, I came today to speak with Arthur Franklin Weasley."

Arthur blushed as his wife said, "What do you want with Arthur?"

"I need Arthur to designate one of his sons to be Heir Prewitt, today as a matter of fact."

"Are you dying?" asked Molly. "Once you're dead, I get to name…"

"No, once I am dead, the Prewitt name is extinct. You will never name the heir."

"Your nephew never fathered a magical child?" asked Bill.

"Hush!" Molly ordered. "We don't have squibs in our family!"

Muriel blushed and bowed her head, "It is my greatest shame that I allowed that prejudice to separate me from my nephew when he was eleven. He was Gideon's son and I let them take him…"

The old witch shook her head and returned to the day's business, "Nonetheless, Arthur Franklin Weasley…"

"No!" shouted Molly. "My sons will all be brothers-in-law to the boy-who-lived! Not head of some defunct family of spell crafters!"

Defending her family name, Muriel argued forcefully but without yelling, "The Prewitts are an ancient and true English name! We fought alongside our kings against the Vikings and the Normans!"

"Bah, that's all dead history,"

"Mother, I would like to be…" Bill said.

"No, I forbid it!" Molly declared and glanced once at Arthur who looked as though he'd prefer to be home playing with his muggle items.

"Forbid?" ask Bill. "I am my own wizard. Why would you forbid me the chance to continue the Prewitt family name?"

"People will think it's strange for someone to leave the family," Molly said. "Especially just before we announce the betrothal of Ginny and the Potter boy."

"What is strange is that my parents are betrothing their fourteen-year-old daughter to a national hero. Ginny will only be fifteen when she marries in February."

"Married at fifteen? What's wrong?" Muriel asked looking Ginny over carefully. "Is she carrying a babe now?"

"No, Ginny's a virgin," Molly insisted. "How old she is when she gets married isn't important."

Bill stood up and went to stand before his Great Aunt Prewitt. "Madam, if you would have me, I would be honoured to become Heir Prewitt."

"Come with me William Arthur, we shall see our account manager and make you my heir within the hour!" Muriel said as she took up her cloak once again.

"No!" Molly screamed, her wand out and chasing them out the door. In the lobby, Molly saw her aunt and oldest son headed toward a tunnel and she ran toward them, her wand in front of her. But before she fired a spell at her aunt's back, a goblin spear sheered the wand in half.

"Damnation, I missed," swore the goblin as the elderly witch and young curse-breaker disappeared from the room.

"Missed?" asked Arthur Weasley, taking his wife by the hand and turning her around.

The goblin nodded his head, "I meant to take off her hand just above the wrist…"

"You attacked the wife of a ministry…" Molly screamed.

"Molly, we're in Gringotts," Arthur spoke up. "The goblins rule here."

The head teller stood before them and said, "Mr. Weasley, you and your family will vacate these premises immediately. If you attempt to remain within the bank or attempt to return at any time in the next thirty days, you and your wife and your children will work in the mines for five years."

"Just five years?" asked Arthur without thinking.

"Mrs Weasley didn't successful cast a spell. If she had cast a spell in Gringotts, you would all be spending the next ten years in the mines."

The Weasleys ran from the bank and hurried to the Leaky Cauldron to collect Ron who was eating his third breakfast. The family apparated back to the Burrow at 10:04.

(****)

SCENE: Harry and 'Remus' at Gringotts

When 'Remus Lupin' and Harry Potter appeared in the lobby of Gringotts at 10:11, they were greeted by a guard who led them into the halls of the bank. Along the way, they met curse-breaker Bill Weasley escorting an elderly witch back to the carts where they could descend to the vaults.

'Remus' was surprized to see the wizard and Harry stepped in front of his godfather under the influence of the Polyjuice potion to protect him from the wizard's close examination. But Bill merely nodded this morning, his attention remained on the witch on his arm.

"I think that was Muriel Prewitt, Bill's great aunt," whispered 'Remus'. "He must be helping her with her family vaults today."

Harry nodded and said nothing though he did notice the goblin's lips twisted up as if he had to restrain himself from speaking up. Shortly thereafter, they found themselves outside the offices of a goblin account manager with the name Silverknife on the golden name plate.

"Your account manager will see you and your godfather shortly," their escort explained. "Don't leave this hallway and don't wander about!"

Harry settled into a meditative state to pass the time and the boy was surprised when his godfather was able to remain silent and still for the seven minutes that the goblin kept them waiting.

The door opened on its own and voice called, "Enter and be quick about it."

Moving into the room, Sirius in Remus's form moved ahead of Harry and bowed to the goblin seated behind the desk. "Account Manager Silverknife, we thank you for allowing this visit under Polyjuice and agreeing to hear our petition."

"Why have you not brought young Potter to the bank before now?"

"I have never had custody of my godson until last night since the night his father was murdered by the Dark Lord."

"Wizards are fools!" the goblin said bitterly.

The goblin turned his attention to Harry and asked, "Your godfather believes you are able to become Heir Potter this morning. Do you?"

"I haven't got a clue if I'll meet any requirements," Harry admitted. "But I just want to get this over with…"

"I hesitate to allow this," the goblin said. "You're a typical teenage wizard who wishes to defy authority."

"He's had a hard…"

"A hard life?" the goblin asked. "I am aware and if Gringotts had been allowed to act, we would have rescued young Heir Potter from his aunt's domicile that first week! But the old man blocked the will and…"

The goblin looked away from Harry's face before he said, "I should have paid for an assassin to kill Dumbledore years ago."

"I wish you had," Harry said, shocking Sirius. "Then I wouldn't be tied to a stupid betrothal agreement."

The goblin nodded, "I received a copy of the agreement last night and read it. The conditions imposed by your godfather are among the strictest I have ever seen."

Glancing at 'Remus' in Polyjuice-pants for a moment, Harry asked, "Can you explain that to me please, Silverknife. I've no knowledge or experience with these agreements until now."

The goblin nodded and began an explanation, "They're not usually covered until sixth year in your history classes and text books because the ministry encourages 'modern' families not to burden their children with these things."

Silverknife motioned toward the form of Remus Lupin and explained, "Sirius Black is a dark wizard. With his alterations of the betrothal agreement, the Weasley family members will have to meet the Potter family magic requirements to be members of your 'family'."

Harry frowned and the goblin continued, "He requires them to protect any children, your good name, and your vaults with their lives if need be, in the event that you die before any child is of age. While you live, they cannot cause you harm."

"But I still have to marry Ginevra," Harry said. The goblin did nod his head again.

"There are potions you can consume to make the seeding of the witch bearable for you and guarantee success with the act. You only need to lie with her the number of times you wish a child, selecting sons and daughters."

"What?" Harry asked, astonished and slightly green at the idea. "Really?"

"How do you think Lucius Malfoy managed to get his son on his wife in that single wedding night consummation of their marriage."

Harry blushed and 'Sirius' laughed at the news.

"My cousin insisted on marrying the ponce and she's only been laid once in sixteen years?" asked Sirius.

"As Lord Black, you are allowed to know this," the goblin said and glanced at Harry. "As is your heir."

Harry seemed to be lost in thought for time and then said, "I feel sorry for all of them – they're not a family."

"No," Silverknife replied. "Now back to your betrothal agreement Heir Potter, until the marriage and the production of a living male heir, you may not take a lover. And throughout your marriage, your wife must remain faithful. However, once your wife is pregnant, you are allowed to take concubines of either sex so long as you can afford their upkeep."

"What?" raged Harry. "Ginny would make my life miserable and make our kid pay…"

(****)

SCENE: The Potter Ring

Once Harry was calmed down again, the goblin brought out a simple wooden box that he opened to reveal a simple golden ring with the Potter family crest engraved on an otherwise smooth surface the size of a small coin.

"That was the ring your Dad wore when he became Heir Potter," Sirius said quietly. "He wore it the day he asked your Mom to marry him."

When Harry pulled the ring from the box, his scar suddenly flared into a blinding headache and the boy barely managed to slip the ring on before he collapsed, his scar bursting open with a black oily substance ejected along with the faint scream of a terrible, dying spirit.

(****)

When Harry revived, Sirius was back in his normal form and cursing Dumbledore a blue streak with invectives against the headmaster and his misbegotten parents, while promising pain for the wizard's final days that would end soon.

"Sirius…"

The wizard leapt from the place he'd be pacing to Harry's side and took the teenager in his arms.

"I was so scared, pup. You don't do things easy," the dogfather said and Harry heard the worry in Sirius's voice.

"What was that?" the teenager asked.

From his place behind his desk, Silverknife said, "That was a partial possession or an unintentional horcrux made by the Dark Lord when he attempted to kill you. The Potter family magics reacted violently against the presence of an avowed enemy and ejected him from your body."

"Dumbledore had to know it was there," the goblin added as Harry listened carefully to the goblin's words and thought back to the resurrection ritual after the third task just the month before.

"Can my family magic eject family members who are evil?"

The goblin laughed and said, "Your betrothed and her family are not 'evil' and you can't eject them."

"Not them," Harry said. "Tom Riddle, Jr."

"Who is that?" asked Sirius though Silverknife simply stared at the teenager with surprize and growing delight.

(****)

After explaining to Sirius the true identity of Lord Voldemort, Silverknife urged Harry to wait until after his family magic settled over the next thirty days before he dealt with Tom Riddle, Jr. (a.k.a Voldemort, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and You-Know-Who).

"And in those thirty days you will not hint to any Death Eater that their master will face my wrath. You may not hint, poke, or even blatantly shout from the roof of Gringotts that the Dark Lord's second reign can be counted in days!" Harry ordered.

Silverknife smiled and bowed his head. "May I make arrangements that will benefit House Potter?"

"Such as?" asked Sirius.

"I can quietly accumulate cash to have funds available to buy up businesses that suddenly have owners in need of gold to flee the country. We could buy up shares in the Daily Prophet and stop that rag from printing lies…"

"Do it," Harry ordered. He glanced at Sirius and said, "Do the same for the Black family. I want my godfather to be wealthy and untouchable when I bring up his innocence."

Sirius took a long drink from a flask hidden in his robes and transformed back into the form of Remus Lupin. The two wizards bowed to the goblin who rose from his chair to return the bow and lead them back to the lobby.

There they were accosted by Albus Dumbledore.

(****)

"Ah Harry and Sirius," Dumbledore greeted the two wizards when they appeared. Nearby wizards and witches froze, looking closely at the pair – yes, it was Harry Potter but the other wizard appeared to be Remus Lupin. Several wizards stepped from the lobby to draw wands and prepare to cast detection spells on 'Remus' – there was a large reward offered for the capture of Sirius Black – alive or dead.

"Headmaster, you've got to get your eyes checked," Harry chided the elderly wizard. "How could I have ever met Sirius Black? 'You' let him escape from Hogwarts last year… I think you should sit down and allow a goblin healer to check you out."

Silverknife growled and four guards surrounded Dumbledore with sharp spears poking him from each direction. The goblin whispered to the two wizards with a solution to hide, and then led Harry and Remus to a floo connection where they loudly announced, "Potter's Manor" before throwing in floo powder and disappearing.

(****)

In a secluded room within Gringotts, the duo appeared from the floo.

"Now Dumbledore will try to access a Potter Manor with that fake address…" Harry said as he frowned. There was no such floo address as far as Harry knew and it would cause the headmaster headaches bouncing off the back of the fireplace a few times.

"The man wanted me caught!" Sirius swore.

Silverknife came through a door at the back of the room and asked, "Is your floo open at your hideout?"

Sirius shook his head. "I wanted… we wanted to block the old man and his minions for the next month."

"And if you apparate into the street?"

"Dumbledore has followers there waiting, I am certain."

"How about Dobby and Kreature?" asked Harry. "They can pop us back to the house."

(****)

Dumbledore was coldly and firmly ejected from Gringotts and informed that he could not return for thirty-five days.

"But I must be here when…"

"Sixty-five days," announced the guard. "Now no one can access the funds to pay the staff at Hogwarts on 1 September. I hope you enjoy explaining to your staff why they can't be paid until the second week of September."

Dumbledore began to open his mouth but the guard was unimpressed. "It'll be six months if you object again. I'd hate to explain to Minerva McGonagall that she can't get paid until after the new year."

(****)

There were many letters exchanged between Albus Dumbledore and Sirius Black in the following weeks. Pretending it was a mere slip of the tongue, Dumbledore argued heavily for use of the house at Grimmauld Place for an Order of the Phoenix meeting and after consideration (and arguments with Remus and Harry), Sirius agreed there could be a single meeting in the house to coincide with a small birthday party for Harry.

Sirius sent a letter that required Dumbledore to sign his full, legal name signally his agreement that the meeting would begin at 2:00PM and conclude at 4:00PM.

**Harry's birthday party begins at 4:30 and you don't want Augusta Longbottom or Amelia Bones to find you and your disorder present.**

Dumbledore sent his regrets and held the meeting at Hogwarts; he failed to realize that Sirius could not have either woman in his home with his fugitive status. The Weasleys were upset because none of them were invited to any birthday party for Harry. When they finally got a letter through to Harry via the expensive owl service from Diagon Alley, Sirius sent a reply that there was only a family dinner planned after all.

Remus made certain to include a copy of the menu planned to make Ron envious, Molly jealous, and Ginny irritated. There were loud arguments at the Burrow, and Molly's howlers never left, merely exploding in her kitchen and leaving her deaf for an hour.

(****)

Part 5: First Judgements of Family Magics (Monday 8 August 1994)

(****)

The Potter family magics were ancient and powerful. While the magic was not sentient, it did accept right and wrong within the parameters of strengthening the Potter family with heirs, wealth and happiness. It had been a long time since there'd been any happiness in the Potter family and the magics determined that steps had to be taken.

The magic waited for the young heir to indicate the steps he desired.

(****)

Grimmauld Place

"I want to cast 'Tom' from the family this morning before I have to…" Harry paused. "Before we go to the bank."

Sirius, Remus, Kreature, and Dobby accepted the young wizard's decision and allowed him to enter the Black family's ritual room. With a raised platform bearing a ring of iron and inscribed with protective runes, the room offered an excellent place to cast ritual magics without any chance of the Ministry detecting the source.

Harry took a chalice and poured a small amount of wine into the bowl. Then he took a ceremonial knife of purest silver from mines deep under the Rocky Mountains in North America and cut his palm. He dribbled blood from his palm into the wine as he called on his family magics to judge all who shared his blood that day.

Once he was finished, he banished the goblet, wine and blood saying, "Curse those who defile my blood, or seek my name and treasure for their own use without regard for my happiness, or the betterment of the Potter family. Send them to judgement and leave the Potter family in peace."

(****)

Malfoy Manor

At Malfoy Manor, the Malfoy family had gathered for breakfast in a small, private dining room off Narcissa's chambers. With the continued presence of the Dark Lord in their home, Lucius and Narcissa wanted to limit Draco's exposure to the… creature.

"Mother, can we go to Diagon Alley today?" Draco asked. "I heard there are several new books on potions available."

"Who told you this?" inquired Lucius.

"Uncle Severus," explained the boy but before they could continue the conversation, Lucius rose from his chair, clasping his left arm where the dark mark lay and began to scream.

(****)

Azkaban Prison

In Azkaban, the guards dreaded another day of Bellatrix Lestrange taunting them with screams of the return of her 'Dark Lord'. She began singing his praises the moment she awoke and continued the entire day, her voice beyond horse. The dementors stood silent outside her cell and fed on her endless joyous emotions.

But suddenly this morning, the evil witch began to scream, "No! No! Not again! No!"

She was shortly joined by the screams of other death eater prisoners while the dementors fled to their underground burrows and refused to come out again.

By noon, the death eaters imprisoned in Azkaban were dead. Their weakened magic had drained away. Bellatrix Lestrange died with tears streaming down her face for her once-again dead Dark Lord.

(****)

At Malfoy Manor, Narcissa checked on Lucius regularly and he appeared to have survived the 'draining'. The ballroom where Lord Voldemort held court with several of his inner circle that morning did not survive. The dark lord apparently exploded with blood, fire and for some reason wine thrown about the room. The walls were scorched, the curtains torn, and the ceiling flaking off. There was nothing of the Dark Lord's body except for a single leg bone and a withered hand. Narcissa banished both items before her son could make his way into the room and see them.

She left the bodies of the other death eaters in place – they were withered husks of the men they'd once been. If she had her way, Draco would never take the Dark Mark or follow that wizard. She preserved the corpses with a stasis spell to have proof for any Death Eater who visited that the Dark Lord did explode and destroy the Malfoy ballroom.

(****)

Part 6: Gringotts Bank (Monday 8 August 1994)

When Harry Potter and Remus Lupin came through the muggle doorway to the Leaky Cauldron, Dora Tonks and Emmeline Vance immediately attacked the man behind the Boy-Who-Lived. They cast Finite Incantatemmultiple times at the werewolf, and when his form didn't transform into Sirius Black, they attempted to cast the Incarcerous and Stupefy spells.

Unfortunately for the two off-duty Aurors, a pissed off Harry Potter cast over-powered Expelliarmus curses and Incarcerous spells at them. Throwing the two Aurors against the walls of the Leaky Cauldron with his spells, Tonks and Vance found themselves glued to those walls while Harry helped Remus to a chair and ordered a drink for his honorary uncle. The wands of the two witches were embedded into the wall opposite where they'd been standing and would probably remain there as souvenirs of the day.

"I need Aurors! On-duty Aurors!" the barman called through the floo.

Harry called out, "Get Amelia Bones! I want the director of the DMLE here!"

Without prompting, Albus Dumbledore entered the tavern from Diagon Alley with Kingsley Shacklebolt following behind the headmaster just as Amelia Bones and four more Aurors poured from the floo.

"Now Harry, this is hardly necessary," Dumbledore said as he made to release the two witches from Harry's spells. He quickly stopped when Harry stepped in front of the headmaster with his own wand out and the tip glowing.

"Director Bones, I wish to press full charges against two of your off-duty Aurors who just attempted to assassinate Remus Lupin."

"Assassinate… Lupin is a werewolf, Mr. Potter," Amelia began to say. "None of the judges would…"

"Mr. Lupin is the new estate manager of record for both the Potter Estate and the Black Estate," Harry said. "His death would upset me enough that the Magical Stock Market would crash! That would upset Gringotts! I insist they be arrested and prosecuted…"

Bones frowned but nodded; not hearing a response, Harry glanced at the director for moment and added, "I will not allow Dumbledore to sweep this attempted assassination under the rug."

"Now Harry…" Dumbledore tried to move the conversation away from the possible arrest of the two members of the Order of the Phoenix.

"Why would they attack 'Mr. Lupin'?" Bones asked, careful to address the werewolf's full name.

"They are members of Dumbledore's vigilantes, the Order of the Phoenix," Harry explained. They think he's really my godfather in disguise."

"Who is your godfather?"

"Harry, I insist you remain silent!" ordered Dumbledore.

"My godfather is Sirius Black," Harry replied, his wand still out and aimed at Dumbledore.

"Surely not… he betrayed…"

"He is my blood-sworn godfather, Director Bones," Harry said, still not taking his eyes off Dumbledore.

Motioning toward the headmaster with his chin, Harry sneered, "He knows… he is trying to find Sirius and lock him up again because my godfather won't go along with Dumbledore's demands for money and space to agitate that the Dark Lord is back."

Amelia sighed and said, "Then none of you have heard this morning's news."

There was silence in the Leaky Cauldron as Amelia Bones continued, "The Death Eaters imprisoned at Azkaban all died this morning screaming that the Dark Lord was dead again. And there are many other wizards being admitted to St. Mungo's with their magic draining away."

"No! It's not possible!" Dumbledore exclaimed.

"Why? Because you didn't have anything to do with it?" asked Amelia Bones. She looked around the tavern, seeing the numbers and identities of the wizards listening to their conversation.

"Shack? Why are you here? In uniform?" she inquired of the Auror trying to hide behind Dumbledore.

Her lips disappearing into thin lines as her anger grew, Director Bones growled, "Report to your commander and tell him I want you confined to a private office until I have a word with you! Or start running and don't ever stop!"

"Amelia, there's…"

"Shut it, Dumbledore! I will be charging you with corruption of the Aurors before the end of the day!" the Director shouted, causing the headmaster to take a step back.

"Heir Potter, if you will come by my office this afternoon, I will personally file the charges against these two former Aurors and take your statement," she told the teenager as he led Remus through the doorway into Diagon Alley.

Behind them, they heard Bones direct the on-duty Aurors to arrest Tonks and Vance. Dumbledore panicked and apparated away. The Leaky Cauldron was the centre of attention for the rest of the day with reporters and visitors. By mid-afternoon, everyone was trying to catch a glimpse of the battlefield where 'Harry Potter fought a werewolf before breakfast…'

(****)

Remus was quiet as they crossed the alley to enter the bank, but Harry's glare keeps any curious wizards and witches at bay. They paused on the steps of the bank for only a moment and Harry noticed the man was distracted. When Harry inquired if Remus had been hurt by the spells, he confessed, "I thought Tonks like me. I mean…"

"She might like you Remus, but Dumbledore sent her to attack Sirius this morning."

Sighing Remus added, "And that's just as bad. He's the head of her family…"

Once inside the lobby, Harry was instantly surrounded by Molly, Ginny, Ron, and Arthur Weasley.

Ron immediately began complaining, "Where have you been for the last month, mate? Everybody asks me every day if I had a letter from you… if you floo called…"

"Why didn't you write me?" whined Ginny.

"Have you been eating enough? Is that your godfather under Polyjuice again?"

"Let's move this along and get out of the lobby," Arthur suggested.

A pair of guards motioned for the group to follow them and when Molly tried to push to the front of the group, the guards allowed this but pushed Harry to the back with Remus.

"I want Harry here!" Molly said, pointing the space beside her.

"Heir Potter – as you should refer to him – must enter the chamber with his representative. The bride's family must enter as a group in case there are any problems."

"Where's Dumbledore? Is he already in the room?"

"The headmaster is banned from Gringotts for several more weeks. Do you wish to be banned from the bank as well, Mrs Weasley?"

"No," she growled as the guards turned and led her and her family into the depths of the bank. Harry and Remus followed behind with another pair of guards separating them from the Weasleys and then more guards following behind.

(*****)

In Silverknife's office, there was a long, narrow, shiny table with a single sheet of paper, blood quills and simple ring box. Behind the table was a raised platform where goblins could stand and reach every item on the table while humans stood on the opposite side. Harry's family magic recognized everything and now, so did Harry. The paper was the signature page for the betrothal for him, Ginny, her father and his guardian to sign. The blood quills were required because this is a binding contract for all parties. And the simple box contained the traditional Potter betrothal ring that Ginny would wear for the next six months… until their wedding day in February.

Waiting in the room were Silverknife, several other goblins with official looking uniforms, and two humans – Bill Prewitt and his great aunt, Muriel Prewitt.

"Bill! Aunt Muriel! What are you doing here?" screeched Molly before the door even closed after Harry, Remus, and their guards filed into the room. The goblins ignored Molly who descended upon her aunt and eldest son though their voices cut out when Silverknife cast a silencing spell to create a barrier between the Prewitts and the rest of the room.

"Heir Potter, welcome to your betrothal ceremony," Silverknife said in greeting as Harry and Remus bowed their heads.

"The House of Potter thanks Gringotts for aiding with this family matter," Remus replied.

"What's… why are all the goblins here?" asked Ginny, her voice threatening to begin climbing.

"I don't know, Ginny," Arthur told his daughter while Ron had already found a table with refreshments.

The head archivist, a goblin with intricately designed robes, approached the table and lifted the betrothal document. He appeared preparing to read the document aloud but glanced toward the silenced humans and waited. Remus glanced at Harry who had a set look on his face that the werewolf knew meant he was displeased but not angry enough to say anything yet.

Finally, Ginny said, "Why aren't we doing anything?"

"Miss Weasley, your mother is apparently not pleased to see your great aunt and your brother attending this ceremony. We must wait until all is settled in the minor house of Weasley before we can continue," Silverknife explained as he motioned toward the barrier behind which Molly shook her finger at Bill and Aunt Muriel.

"Minor house?" asked Ginny. "What does that mean?"

"Our family is not a 'noble' or 'ancient' house, Ginny," Arthur explained as he glanced toward Molly's tirade. He sighed but refused to approach his wife – Molly was unlikely to forget or forgive anyone chiding her today.

Harry smirked after another minute passed and Ginny approached the barrier, waving at her mother with first just one hand and then with both arms waving over her head. Remus and Harry both laughed now though Silverknife only added galleons to the bill for use of the room and the time of valuable Gringotts employees.

"Every galleon we spend here today is to be removed from the value of the wealth to be spent on the wedding," Harry announced. Upon hearing this, Ginny began trying to break through the silencing spell that was thrown up.

(*****)

SCENE: Final Signatures

"Molly…" Muriel attempted to get her niece's attention.

"And you've deserted your father and me with this blood adoption! I am the last Prewitt and I'll…

"Molly!" Muriel shouted, reaching out to take her niece's arm in her hand and turning her toward the silencing barrier where Ginny, wearing a set of robes almost suitable for funeral but not a betrothal, was waving her arms back and forth.

"What!" Molly demanded until she saw her daughter's outlandish behaviour. "What is that girl doing?"

As Molly stepped away from her son and aunt, the silencing barrier dissolved and suddenly Molly could hear Ginny shouting, "Mom! Shut it! You're spending the galleons for my wedding day running your mouth!"

"Ginevra, how dare you speak to your mother that way!" Molly shouted.

"Why are you yelling at Bill and Aunt Muriel?" Ginny screamed, matching her mother in volume.

"Bill's not a Weasley anymore… they've got no business being here!" Molly announced.

Ron walked over with biscuits in his mouth and more in his hands. He mumbled for a moment before heading back to the refreshment table.

"What do you mean?" shrieks Ginny. "How can Bill not be…"

"He's William Gideon Prewitt now," Muriel announced and showed everyone the ring on Bill's hand.

"That was my father's ring! And then my brother Gideon's ring!" Molly shouted as she began to berate her aunt and eldest son with renewed vigour.

The goblins threw up the silencing barrier again while Arthur sighed and joined Ron at the refreshment table. Behind the barrier, Ginny finally outshouted her mother and explained that the cost of all this time without completing the betrothal was being deducted from the funds available for the wedding.

"What do you mean?" Molly asked.

"The betrothal will list the amount of money that Potter will spend on the wedding – less than fifty galleons probably," Bill explained. "And it'll list the monthly allowance he gives Ginny until the wedding."

"Ginny?" asked Molly. "What about the rest of the family?"

"That's not how this works Mother," Bill explained. "If Lord Potter decides to give you an allowance…" 

"Of course, Harry will give his mother-in-law a monthly allowance!" Molly shouted. "Everyone in the family will get something."

"Fifty galleons? For my wedding? I want robes that cost a thousand galleons! At least!" Ginny shouted.

Muriel frowned and remained silent, catching Bill's eye and encouraging him to remain silent. Finally, Molly and Ginny were calm enough for the silencing barrier to fall once again.

"Molly Grace Weasley and Ginevra Molly Weasley, if you begin shouting again, this ceremony will be ended without completing the betrothal and it cannot be rescheduled until December," Silverknife announced. "So be silent and respectful of our time or be gone."

Grumbling under their breath, both witches stepped toward the table. Arthur returned to Molly's side where she brushed biscuit crumbs from his robes. She glanced at Ron but left him at the table with the cakes and tea now.

As the archivist read the previously agreed upon betrothal, Molly paid close attention, listening for vaults and galleons, but the language was boring and she escaped into daydreams of her daughter in fine robes with expensive jewellery. If Molly stood beside her daughter in equally fine robes with flashy jewellery, the daydream was only more perfect. Ginny fidgeted, Ron ate cakes and more biscuits – the plates on the table continually refilled as the teenager ate through the baked goods, and Arthur daydreamed about the quiet of his shed behind the Burrow.

Bill and Muriel listened closely as did Harry and Remus.

When the archivist finished and Silverknife moved up to turn the paper toward Harry and Remus to begin their signatures, Muriel whispered, "Bill, can you get your brothers to renounce Weasley and become Prewitts… today?"

Shaking his head, Bill replied, "No. Percy's tied to the ministry, Fred and George don't care about anything but their joke shop, and Ron's too young to decide. I'll send a letter to Charlie."

"Now for the bride's father and the bride," Silverknife instructed.

Once the last two signatures were in place, the goblin tapped the papers with his knife and they glowed white, disappeared and the duplicates appeared on the table.

"You're mine now, Harry Potter!" squealed Ginny and she launched herself at the boy only for her mother to pull her back.

"You will behave and be a proper lady with no monkey business until the wedding night!" Molly said. "No kissing! No necking! Nothing!"

"But Mother! I need to get to 'know' Harry!" Ginny said, tilting her head to the side. "I've never even kissed him!"

"Now the ring," Silverknife said, motioning toward the box.

With false surprize, Molly asked, "And there's a ring for Ginny's hand too?"

She reached for the box and while Bill wanted to object, he saw that Heir Potter was once again wearing a calm, emotionless face as he watched his future mother-in-law open the box. According to the family magics, the heir should place the ring on his future bride's hand but Harry wouldn't interfere with this mistake.

As soon as they saw the ring, the faces of mother and daughter could not hide their disappointment.

"That's the Potter betrothal ring?" asked Molly.

"There's just one diamond on it!" Ginny announced.

Silverknife explained, "The single diamond was added in the early 1800s after the Potters grew wealthier. The simple band of gold underneath the diamond has been used in the family for over five centuries."

"I want something flashier," Ginny declared. "Something with more diamonds and rubies!"

"Emeralds, dear," Molly corrected. "With our red hair, we need Potter jewellery with emeralds."

"And why would you receive any Potter jewellery, Mrs. Weasley?" asked Silverknife.

"I'm to be the mother-in-law of the boy-who-lived," she replied. "Of course, I'll wear Potter jewellery."

Harry stood quietly at the other end of the table. The insult to his family's betrothal ring still smarted but he decided to let the insult go for now.

But Ginny and Molly wouldn't let go.

"Harry, dear. Aren't there other rings in your vault? Something a bit more appropriate for the future Lady Potter?"

"Yeah, something with more stones?" asked Ginny.

"Can we sell that one?" asked Ron, though this time Bill cast a silencing spell on his youngest brother.

Remus stepped up and berated the Weasleys. "That's the traditional Potter betrothal ring! Lily wore it and before her, Euphemia Black wore it when she was betrothed to Fleamont."

"See, it's used!" complained Ginny. "I didn't even get a new ring."

"We'll see what we can do," Molly hugged her daughter before turning to Harry. "Now, Harry, Ginny is upset about the ring. What can we do about that?"

Harry spoke up. "Are you telling your husband to cancel the betrothal because you don't think the Potter family ring is worthy of your daughter?"

"What?" Molly asked with honest confusion. Then she held up Ginny's hand with the simple diamond ring and whined, "No, but surely you can see this ring isn't worthy of the Potter name."

"My mother wore that ring and she was welcomed as Lady Potter six months later," Harry stormed. "If Ginny thinks it isn't good enough, let her take it off and end the betrothal!"

"You're not going to get out of this just because you used a cheap ring!" Molly yelled as Ginny began to cry.

"It's embarrassing to have to wear this!" the teenage girl shouted.

"We'll buy something… another ring…" Molly said to console her daughter. She turned to Harry and asked, "What's the allowance you've given Ginny?"

Silverknife spoke up, "Sirius Black gave Ginevra a monthly allowance of ten galleons for pin money during the betrothal."

"Ten galleons!" Molly complained. "She needs a new wardrobe! She needs to get her hair styled! She needs a hundred galleons a month – at least!"

Molly grabbed the betrothal agreement and flipped through the pages to the paragraph on allowances.

"And where's the allowance for me? For Arthur and for the boys?" she demanded to know, her voice rising louder and Silverknife ended the meeting.

"But I'm not done with you yet, Harry Potter!" shouted Molly.

"Harry! This isn't good enough!" Ginny shouted.

Ron and Arthur remained quiet; they'd both eaten enough biscuits and cake to fill everyone's stomachs. Muriel left and Bill tried to comfort his sister though she was having none of it. Molly realized that Harry and Remus were escaping so she ran out of the room after the two wizards but the goblin guards refused to allow her through.

"This isn't the end of this Harry Potter! You just wait until you're married to Ginny! Then you'll have to hand over the galleons!" she shrieked.

(*****)

With the news about the end of the Dark Lord (again) dominating the paper, the news of the traditional betrothal of the Boy-Who-Lived to the daughter of a minor house was buried on the inside pages of the Daily Prophet. The merchants in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade paid no attention to the announcement and while polite, they refused to extend credit to Molly Weasley for new robes or jewellery without a letter of credit from Gringotts stating the Potter vaults would pay her bills before or after the wedding in February.

Molly's public rants ended with her arrest in Madam Rankin's robe shop and her spending an afternoon in a DMLE cell at the ministry. Arthur attested to his wife's good behaviour before she was released and they used the floo in the Atrium to return to the Burrow.

(****)

SCENE: A Visit to Grimmauld Place

Between the few letters that Sirius and Harry received from the Weasleys and Dumbledore, and the growing coverage of Molly's outrageous behaviour in the newspaper, Sirius finally relented and provided Molly with a vault. He informed Harry that on 15 August, Remus was authorized to provide Mrs Weasley with one hundred galleons for new robes and trunks for her family for the start of the new school year.

"That's a mistake," Harry explained. "She'll expect twice as much next time."

"Gringotts sent letters to every shop in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade that nothing purchased or ordered by Molly or Ginny Weasley is our responsibility; for that matter, we're not responsible for any of the Weasleys. I heard the twins were running their prank shop rather well."

"I gave them the thousand galleons from the tournament," Harry explained. "If they're frugal, they can meet their expenses and turn a profit."

"Frugal doesn't seem to be a concept the Weasleys understand. You'll have to take a firm hand with Ginevra."

Harry growled, perfectly mimicking Remus when the wolf was near the surface but Sirius just grinned, continuing to poke at his godson, "And… well… you'll just have to learn to hide from Molly."

If looks could trigger spontaneous combustion, Sirius realized he would be on fire and burnt to a crisp. He'd have to make certain he tested his food and Firewhiskey for poison for the remainder of August for certain.

Attempting to deflect Harry's anger, Sirius tried again.

"Uh… once school begins, Molly and Ginny can pester Dumbledore about using Hogwarts funds for the wedding. You don't have to provide anything except the wedding ring."

"Which won't be grand enough for Ginny," Harry groused. "The only letter I received is the complaint about the betrothal ring being plain."

"And probably that no jewellery shop in Diagon Alley would accept it as trade-in for something flashy!" snarked Sirius.

"What!" yelled Harry.

"No, no. Harry, no one would try to pawn your family ring…" Remus assured the teenager though he stared at Sirius significantly.

Sirius sighed, "I did receive a note from Silverknife that a jeweller asked about a reward if she recovered the ring. Your account manager assured the witch that if she came by the ring honestly, there would be a substantial reward for its return."

"Who are these people?" Harry asked in despair. "I thought I knew the Weasleys!"

"It's like muggles who win the lottery Harry," Remus said. "They've never had money and go nuts buying things… Throwing money around…"

"Do muggles really 'throw' money?" asked Sirius. "I know Lily showed us a movie once about a bank robbery where the money flew out of the back of a car window and the muggles all ran out to pick it up in the street… Course it was paper and I don't see how you can spend paper… How do goblins count it?"

The ramblings of the marauder helped Harry keep from blowing up the plates and cups in the kitchen again.

"Now, how about a surprize?" asked Remus.

Kreature and Dobby popped into the kitchen when the werewolf said those words, ready to pop Harry away if it was another prank by the two marauders.

"No. Really there's a good surprize!" Sirius insisted. "Your friend, Hermie Granger, wanted to come visit."

Now Harry did smile. "You called her 'Hermie'… I know _Hermione_ was vacationing in France with her parents for most of July. They must have come home early."

"There's only two weeks left until you return to Hogwarts," Remus said.

"And only five months until I am shackled to Ginevra Weasley… thanks for reminding me."

"Disappointment of a Master, there's be people in the floo room," Kreature reported.

"People?" asked Sirius.

"It be Mouth, Howler, Little Howler, and Evil One!" reported Dobby, who began to tremble. "She wants to kill house elves she does! Wants to kills us all!"

"Who is the elf talking about?" asked Remus while Harry scowled at his godfather.

The teenager translated explaining, "Moron, Molly, Ginny and Hermione have come to visit. The elves are afraid of Hermione because she wants to set them all free."

He frowned to hear the noise already in the house and asked, "Sirius, didn't you think to block anyone except for Hermione?"

"Sorry Harry, you were too quiet and I thought Hermione would cheer you up."

Harry glanced at Kreature and Dobby; he bent down on one knee and gave them specific instructions before the elves vanished and Sirius lead the other two wizards into the hallway. Before they reached the floo room, the door flew open and Ginevra ran to Harry.

"There you are you bad boy! Trying to hide from me all summer!" the girl said as she attached herself to his side.

"Harry, it's good to see you," Hermione said. "I was surprized at the news of your engagement but I'm not surprized. Ginny's had her heart set on marrying you since I met her."

Ron laughed, "She's been talking about the wedding since she was five years old. That's when Mom first…"

"Hush Ronald!" Molly told her son and he felt silent instantly. "Harry, you do look thin. Are you eating enough? I must come over every day and cook for you until you go back to school."

"I have a great many things on my mind, Mrs Weasley. There are many matters of the Potter estate…"

"How rich are we, Harry?" asked Ginny.

"Yeah, how much money are you going to give me?" asked Ron.

Hermione frowned and asked, "Why would Harry give you money Ron?"

"He's got so much; he can afford to share with his new brother and best friend! I could use a new broom before we go back to school."

"Ron, I won't tell you again!" Molly hissed. "Now, Sirius, I really do need more galleons for robes for the wedding."

"Two hundred not enough for new robes for the whole family?" asked Remus.

"Two hundred?" Harry asked before he turned to Sirius. "You told me you gave them one hundred…"

Lord Black made a mirthful face and then ran from the room.

Molly explained, "We spent one hundred just on new uniforms and robes for Ginny and Ron to go back to school."

"And the other hundred?" asked Remus. School robes generally cost around twenty galleons so the two youngest Weasleys must have complete wardrobes for the new school year.

"Arthur needed a new muggle toy – some kind of auto-mo-bile something… and I needed new robes."

"An automobile? What kind of car could you get for a few galleons?" asked Harry. Automobiles cost thousands of galleons.

"I don't know… some muggleborn makes a living finding auto-mo-biles for wizards and sells them for just a few galleons."

Harry shook his head. "Stolen cars that he can move quickly. The muggleborn is running some kind of a racket."

"No, it's an auto-mo-bile. It makes a terrible racket and I made Arthur put it into his shed the other night. Scared the chickens and made my cake fall!" Molly complained.

(*****)

As Molly followed Remus and then Sirius around Grimmauld Place asking and then demanding more galleons to 'plan' the wedding, Ron lead them all into the kitchen.

"Got anything to eat, Harry?" Moron asked as he checked for a magical cooling box and ignored the electric refrigerator.

"Sit at the table, Ron. Tea will be served in a few minutes."

"I brought biscuits," Hermione said, drawing a tin from her bottomless book bag. "Mrs Weasley baked these last night for you."

"Set it on the table," Harry insisted and once the witch set the tin on the table, it vanished just as a large tea service appeared in the middle of the table with additional plates of biscuits and cakes provided for 'Moron'.

(The biscuits from the tin were crumbled up and mixed into the chicken feed in the chicken coop behind the Burrow by a mischievous Kreature. The chickens developed a fondness for Ginny the next week.)

"That's a neat charm, Harry," Hermione said. "How did you get the tea to appear?"

Harry escorted Ginny to a specific chair but she moved to take the seat at the end of the table where he was supposed to sit.

"Ginny, you're supposed to sit beside Hermione. As the visiting betrothed, you're still a guest."

"None of that stuff matters," Ginny said as she waved her hand about and Harry noticed that the betrothal ring was turned upside down.

Staring at the beautiful tea service, Hermione asked, "Harry… How did the tea…"

"I have house elves, Hermione," Harry replied. "They do an incredible job."

"Elves! You have slaves! Harry, that's wrong! You call them right this minute and set them free! I won't allow…"

Harry waved a hand at Hermione and she was silenced and stuck to her chair. And though she threw a tea cup at Harry and banged her chair up and down, she could not get free. Ron laughed at the muggleborn witch who turned as red as his mother or Ginny ever did when they were mad.

"Ginny, let's show Hermione your ring," Harry suggested. "She'll calm down after she sees how pretty it is."

Ginny's hand quickly disappeared underneath the table.

"I showed it to her when she arrived at the Burrow this morning," Ginny said attempting to deflect Harry. "She thought it was very plain."

"Ginny, show me the betrothal ring."

"Not now. Let's look around the house. Where will our bedroom be?"

Shaking his head, Harry explained, "This house belongs to Sirius. We won't have a house until after I am seventeen. I can't access my vaults or distribute any monies."

"What?" the girl asked. "Mother said we'd live here… in London… with elves!

Harry shrugged and said, "I think we'll have to live at the Burrow…"

"I'm not giving up my room!" Ron declared, though everyone ignored him.

"We'll live here," Ginny said. "Mom will talk Sirius into us all living here in London."

"Ginevra, show me my family's betrothal ring!" Harry insisted but the girl rose from the table and fled to find her mother.

Stony faced, Harry turned back to Hermione and cancelled the silencing spell. His muggleborn friend continued her diatribe, shouting, "You're a horrible man, Harry Potter! How dare you silence me! That's as bad as Death Eater! I can't believe you!"

The shouting continued with each new breath Hermione drew. "One month with Sirius Black and you've made slaves of elves and turned against your friends! When I get out of this chair, I'm going to smack your face so hard Malfoy will feel the pain!"

The kitchen door flew open and an angry Molly stormed back into the room followed by a sobbing Ginny.

"What did you say to your fiancé to make her cry? You evil boy! What did you do? Did you try to take advantage of her before the wedding?"

Following close behind, Sirius shook his head and said, "Molly, you're being ridiculous. Here in kitchen in front of their friends? Even I never did anything like that!"

"I asked her to show Hermione our betrothal ring. She wouldn't let me see it and then ran out of the room," Harry explained, slowly walking closer.

"Ginevra Weasley, show me the Potter family betrothal ring that your mother placed on your finger!" Harry ordered.

Hermione had fallen back into a sullen silence that promised more yelling, Molly looked flustered and was unable to look any of the wizards in the face, while Ginny sobbed into her mother's shoulder. Ron quietly ate from the plate of sandwiches that appeared beside his tea cup.

"Where is the ring?" Sirius asked as Remus slid his wand into his hand.

"Ginny is a very active girl," Molly said as an excuse. "The setting must have broken somewhere in the yard or orchard while she was flying with Ron the other day."

"Dobby!" Harry called as Hermione returned to preaching on the evils of slavery and how Dobby should be free.

Despite his fear of the 'Evil One', the little elf appeared and as soon as he heard Harry's commands, the elf's fears vanished.

"Summon all the Potter elves and scour the Burrow and the surrounding fields for the diamond from our family betrothal ring. It'll be saturated with Potter family magic. Please, Dobby get the elves and find it."

Kreature appeared and sneered at Ginny and Molly. "Kreature goes too. Will finds diamond lost by stupid bint!"

As the Black family elf popped out of the room, the tea cup at Hermione's chair levitated above her head and dumped its cold contents on her.

"How dare that elf call my daughter such a name!" Molly yelled as Ginny wailed. "I won't have elves crawling through my house!"

"You said it was lost outside…" Remus mentioned as he smelled the deceit.

Molly frowned, "We don't know when it was lost. The setting must have been cheap…"

"The ring survived…" Harry began to speak but then listened to his family magic and fell silent. With a motion of his hand of sweeping, Harry signalled Remus to end the visit.

"I think you must all leave – now," Remus said. "Heir Potter and Lord Black are distracted by this terrible news."

"Heir Potter? Getting awfully big for your britches now Harry!" snarked Ron as he rose and followed his mother and blubbering sister.

On her way to the floo room, while she used a dish cloth to dry her hair, Hermione tore a new strip from Harry with scathing remarks about his slaves, his pureblood airs, and terrible treatment of the Weasleys.

Harry said nothing to any of them; there were no good wishes for a safe trip home or thanks for visiting. After each visitor stepped through the floo to return to the Burrow, Sirius struck through their names in the house book of possible visitors. He removed all Weasleys, and everyone else for that matter. When he was finished, there was no one listed except for himself, Remus, and Harry Potter.

(*****)


	2. Family Magic Chapter 2

This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy.

Chapter II: Family Magic

(*****)

Part 7: A Series of Misfortunes SCENE: Charlie Weasley / Imperial Dragon Preserve

Reading any letter from his mother was a challenge, but the latest one was especially challenging because the lines were filled with extra exclamation marks and double underlines. Charlie Weasley was able to decipher her scrambled message that Ginny was engaged to a terrible young wizard named '_Something Putter'_. Worse, Molly wanted Charlie to come home and help her 'convince' the young wizard to give Ginny (and her) more galleons for their wedding in February.

'_Why is Ginny getting married so quickly?' _he wondered. He wondered if a baby was already on the way, but decided that if that was the case, the couple would marry before September and not be headed back to Hogwarts.

Then Charlie opened and read the second letter, this one from his older brother Bill. He explained that Mother and Father had entered a strict betrothal agreement for some unfathomable reason that meant Ginny would marry at Valentines.

The two eldest brothers had always been close and understood why the other fled England immediately after graduation. Bill's return to work at Gringotts London hadn't meant he'd returned to their mother's rule. In fact, from the letter's contents, Charlie learned that Bill had chosen to become a Prewitt to keep that family name alive, and his brother wanted Charlie to become one as well. Thinking about it for only a moment, Charlie signed the return letter with his new name, Charles Fabian Prewitt. Then he sealed the letter and sent it off by owl for Bill to file with Gringotts and the Ministry for Magic.

As the letter with the new family name made its way back toward Britain, the supervisor at the Imperial Romanian Dragon Preserve changed the work roster for the day to send Charlie Prewitt to work with the Norwegian Iron Tail queen who was due to breed in the next month. She was lethargic but very hungry; Charlie sent her three large cows that afternoon.

The other work assignment, dealing with an old Aegyptian Sand Dragon almost ended in tragedy when the dragon dropped down to sleep and almost suffocated the skinny handler trapped at the rear of the lair. Luckily the man was able to slip around the dragon's nether regions only moments before it passed the usual fiery explosion of gas that marked the beginning of a deep sleep that could last weeks. If the bulkier Weasley had been there, he would have been trapped behind the beast and roasted.

(*****)

Amos and Sophia Diggory welcomed the orphaned brother and sister into their family with blood adoptions at Gringotts. Molly Weasley, a nearby and nosey neighbour, dared to question how quickly they were replacing Cedric for just a moment before Sophia's stream of toe hexes sent the woman scurrying from their home.

Within a week, the little boy called Amos 'Daddy' and the little girl grinned and raised her arms to be lifted to his chest every time he walked into the room. Grace smiled; her hand would gently brush across Cedric's photo, but then she would turn her attention to their children.

(*****)

SCENE: Arthur Weasley at the Burrow

Molly's temper was short and fiery on a good day. Now Sophia Diggory had been rude and hexed his wife so she limped home on sore feet, and Molly's wand had already sent Ron flying up the stairs to hide in his room.

Catching a glimpse of her husband stealing out the back of their house, she yelled through the kitchen window, "If you make a lot of racket with the muggle contraption tonight, I will turn it into scrap tomorrow! I don't want to hear it tonight!"

"Merlin," Arthur swore. He'd lifted a plastic container with more 'petrol' for his bright red automobile and could listen to it run for at least two hours tonight.

Hurrying to his magically expanded shed, Arthur closed the door behind him and poured the petrol into the magical opening he'd made into the 'tank' of the car. Then it began to rain and several leaks in the roof threatened to ruin his evening.

To keep out the rain and keep in the noise, Arthur sealed the roof, the walls, the windows and door of his shop. Next, he cast the spell that the muggleborn wizard had taught him to 'turn over' the engine. His glorious muggle automobile roared to life and Arthur climbed behind the wheel, placed his foot on the 'gas pedal' and listened to the engine race. The wonderful smell of the burning petrol was exhilarating.

"_I'll get Harry to give me ten thousand galleons. I'll build a bigger shed – no – a garage just like the muggles have. And Harry can give me fifty automobiles in every colour imaginable!' _Arthur decided._ 'It's not like the boy will have much time for anything but following Molly and Ginny's orders…' _

Arthur's dreams made him smile as he fell asleep while the engine continued to roar.

(*****)

"Ron! Get up!"

"Go away, Gin. It's not school…"

"Mom says you have to get up and look for Dad," Ginny said, using her wand to cast a spell that blasted her brother with cold water under the covers.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" yelled Ron as he slid from the bed, with the bedclothes and floor now drenched with water.

"Mom wants you downstairs." Ginny said with her sneer.

Threatening his sister with his fists for only a second before she waved her wand his way, Ron spit out, "Okay, go away and I'll get dressed!"

Slamming the door behind her, Ginny ran down the stairs to the kitchen where Molly was waiting at the table with scant breakfast items scattered about.

"I don't know what to think. Your father's never not come back to the house from his shed," Molly confided to her daughter.

Ron finally made it down the stairs and motioning toward the almost bare table, asked, "Is this breakfast?"

"You need to find your father before we get breakfast!" Molly informed her son. "I'm worried sick…"

His face displaying his aggravation immediately, Ron whined, "Call Bill… or Percy… or the twins…"

"They're not here!" Molly thundered. "They're working or deserting us for another family!"

Ron and Ginny looked confused for only a moment before Ron left the kitchen to search for his father. The first thing he did was head for the shed, imagining his father had fallen asleep with his muggle toys. When the door wouldn't budge, Ron climbed around and peered through the window. His father appeared to be asleep sitting in his automobile.

"Dad! Dad, wake up!" Ron shouted as he banged on the window. But despite his shouts and noise, Arthur slept without moving. Quickly tired of the effort required, Ron ambled back into the house.

When he entered the kitchen, he told his mother, "Dad's asleep in his automobile."

"Did you speak to him?" Molly asked.

"No, but I saw him through the window. He's sound asleep."

"Poor dear, he must have been exhausted after working at the ministry so hard this week," Molly said as she began fixing breakfast for Ginny, Ron and her husband. She left the kitchen after preparing the food and returned to find all three breakfasts consumed. Smiling with satisfaction, Molly assumed Arthur had eaten and rushed off to the ministry.

Later in the afternoon, Molly gathered the eggs from the henhouse and decided to peek through the window of the shed.

'_What does Arthur like about that auto…'_ she wondered as she leaned close. It took her a moment to understand what she saw – her husband was still asleep in the automobile.

"Arthur! Arthur Weasley! Wake up and answer me!" she yelled, loud enough to bring Ginny from the house.

"Mom? What are you doing?"

"Your father is still in the shed, still asleep!"

Ginny tried the door and found it still sealed. Her mother tried the door as well without success so the witch went to the floo and called for an Auror to come help.

(****)

"He's trapped in his shed with his muggle things… I can't get him to come to the door!" she explained to Auror Tonks.

Nymphadora Tonks had been demoted to probationary status after the battle in the Leaky Cauldron which meant she got to handle all the weird home problems like children stuck in trees and elderly wizards locking themselves out of their houses. Worse still, her mother was furious with her, Sirius wouldn't speak to her, and Remus Lupin returned her letters unopened.

It took Dora just ten seconds to have the seal off the door and she barely made it inside before Molly Weasley pushed passed and began yelling at her husband. Five seconds later, Molly's screams replaced the yelling.

(****)

An Auror team lead was required to attend the scene of every accidental death, and after viewing the scene and the hearing the circumstances, the wizard just shook his head.

"Muggle items... Wizards and witches die every year because they mishandle muggle things."

"What killed him, sir?" Dora asked.

The lead Auror shrugged and said, "Not a clue… but the shed is full of muggle knick-knacks. It could have been any one of them. Here's what you do… Shrink everything down and give it to the Department of Mysteries. We'll classify this as an accidental death caused by misuse of muggle devices."

(****)

SCENE: Fred Weasley and George Weasley

At Hogwarts, Severus Snape made his way to Dumbledore's office. The castle was deserted but for house elves, Dumbledore and Snape. Even Minerva was vacationing with her extended family and Sprout was gathering cuttings from plants in the Congo River basin in Africa until mid-August. The request to visit the headmaster's office came as a surprise this afternoon; Severus was certain the headmaster would have been trapped at the wake for Arthur Weasley for hours after the funeral.

Pushing open the door, Severus walked into the office where Albus often held 'court'. Without greetings or other preamble, the potions master asked, "You wanted to speak to me?"

The headmaster nodded and motioned toward a chair though the younger wizard remained standing.

"Yes, Severus. I wanted to discuss the value of a love potion for young Harry to make the transition to married life easier for the boy. The trauma of losing Arthur is hitting Molly, Ginevra and Harry very hard, I'm certain. He's so young, I fear he'll not resign himself to this requirement…"

"They are betrothed using a formal agreement, are they not?"

Dumbledore nodded and motioned toward a rolled-up document. Snape made no motion to touch the parchment but did say, "Then you'd kill the boy if you gave him a love potion. That would be seen as an attempt to invalidate the betrothal. He might force himself upon the girl before the wedding with disastrous results for them and their magic."

The headmaster paused and sighed, attempting to elicit sympathy from his potions master. "I must find a way to make it easier for Harry to accept this marriage. It must be successful."

"You mean the girl must be pregnant before you sacrifice Harry Potter to kill the Dark Lord?"

Grimacing, Dumbledore's twinkle vanished from his eyes for a moment, "There are times when I believe you have no soul Severus."

"You are correct, headmaster. I don't a soul," stated Severus. "It died many years ago."

Shaking his head, Dumbledore continued, "No, your love for Lily Evans keeps your soul alive, even now."

Snape remained silent and still as Dumbledore appeared lost in thought before he continued, "I want you to prepare a calming potion, something that will last for several months."

"A calming potion?"

"Something beyond the regular potion… it must last for six months," Dumbledore mandated. "Once you have brewed it, I will take it to No.12 Grimmauld Place and administer it to both Harry and Sirius before the beginning of school."

"And then when it is time for the wedding, I want you to provide a strong fertility potion that I will administer to both Harry and Ginevra – she'll be pregnant before the end of March with a baby born at the end of the year."

(*****)

Dismissed, Snape walked back to his chambers very slowly and his thoughts turned darker with each step. When he reached the first staircase, he was cataloguing and dismissing each standard calming potion. When he reached the second staircase, he began cursing Dumbledore – he had less than two weeks to brew this 'magical' potion.

By the time he'd returned to his private chamber, he'd determined that he would find some potion to kill everyone – Potter, Black, and Dumbledore! He would brew a potion that would explode with such force that the house would collapse and if the werewolf was caught in the explosion as well, that would just be additional misfortune.

The potion master turned to his books and began searching for explosive potions that could be coloured to resemble a calming potion.

(****)

Snape found what he wanted and a day later lied to the headmaster, telling the wizard that he would brew a long-lasting calming potion that was created and stored in two flasks until ready to be consumed. Just before they were to be consumed, the two 'potions' were mixed together and immediately drunk.

Dumbledore would carry the flasks to No.12, and with Potter and Black present, mix the two potions together with an instant, powerful explosion that would level the house if not the entire block of London.

Snape actually smiled after the second meeting with the headmaster – before 1 September, he would be free of Dumbledore, and have revenge on James Potter, Sirius Black, and perhaps Remus Lupin as they all blew apart in that awful house.

Now he just had to gather the ingredients – the dragon's blood was the most volatile ingredient and would have to be handled very carefully or there'd be a premature explosion.

(****)

In a small shop along Diagon Alley with a crooked sign that read 'Weasleys Wizard Wheezes', the twin proprietors held a business meeting while consuming a bottle of Firewhiskey.

"How much money do we have left?

"About forty-six galleons."

"That's not enough to pay the rent due next month, pay the taxes we owe…"

"…or restock our shelves."

"We should never have let Mother take our money…"

"…to pay for Dad's funeral. Why did he need a waterproof casket anyway?"

"And Ron told me Mom and Ginny already spent all the money they got for the Potter diamond."

"That's not good. They had over five hundred galleons…"

"What are we to do?"

"We go to our financial backer!"

"He's not pleased with any Weasley from what I hear."

"No, they've made a mess of it for certain…"

The twins glanced around at their shop – their jokes sold fairly well and they expected to sell out their inventory with a special for Hogwarts students the last week of August. But they had to have additional cash to meet business bills.

"Charms?"

"He's got his family ring. Simple charms will bounce off."

"Kisses?"

"He's betrothed to Ginny. He wouldn't appreciate it and Ginny would cut off our bits if she thought we'd attempted to corrupt her Harry Potter."

"Then it has to be a potion… something to make his susceptible to suggestion…"

"Yes! Give us another thousand galleons, Harrikins!"

The twins turned to their significant experience with brewing unstable potions and decided they would try 'McGonagall Sweet Dreams', a potion they invented to make Professor McGonagall give them an extra week to prepare a term paper. They were not certain if the potion worked because McGonagall gave them extra week without thinking about it to get them out of her office that night.

"We have to rub the potion into our hands, let it dry and then shake his hands – we each have to shake one hand."

"And while we're at it, let's ask for two thousand galleons and hide the second thousand. Mom, Ron, and Ginny will show up wanting part of our loot… uh… gift."

"You're a genius!"

"Of course, I am, my less handsome brother."

While one twin gathered their cauldron and ingredients the other read the instructions once again.

"Merlin's sticky fingers! We need some unicorn slug slime."

"That'll cost us twenty galleons over at Pewter Cauldron."

"But only fifteen galleons at the Backdoor Shoppe in Knockturn Alley."

"Here, finish this bottle and we'll hop over to Backdoor! We can be back in twenty minutes, brew McGonagall Sweet Dreams tonight."

"We'll visit Harry tomorrow morning…"

"… and have a cheque by noon."

The twins passed the bottle back and forth before storming out of their shop, the door locking behind them as they ran through the crowds in Diagon Ally for the seedier alley. They charged into the shop, full of Firewhiskey fumes and ready to belch just as the shop proprietor and Severus Snape were bargaining over an open flask of Dragon's Blood.

"Good evening all!"

"The Weasley Twins are here!"

The young wizards managed to simultaneously call up outstanding Firewhiskey burps just as the fumes of the Dragon's Blood fumes filled the shop.

(****)

A pedestrian in Diagon Alley reported to the Aurors who investigated, "It was amazing! One second a normal night and the next, the brightest fireworks display I've ever seen!"

Aurors Tonks and Vance were responsible for searching the roofs of the shops and buildings around Knockturn Alley that evening. There was very little of anyone left inside the shop. The head of one of the Weasley twins was found on top of a seedy bar and Severus Snape's corpse was found atop Gringotts bank. There wasn't enough left of Fred and George to fill a grocery bag.

(****)

Sirius was conflicted when he read the story about the fireworks-like explosion in Knockturn Alley that killed Severus Snape as well as the Weasley twins. Harry sat quietly and stared into space for a time. There was a special morning edition of the Daily Prophet with the headline **'Boy-Who-Lived Mourns Again'**.

"I have to go to another funeral now," he announced. "Molly will be all to pieces and weep on me again."

"If she faints this time, let her hit the ground a couple times," Sirius called from behind the paper. "At Arthur's funeral, I think she and Ginny were trying to outdo each other with wails and fainting all over you."

"It'll be a memorial service," Remus said quietly. "More of an opportunity to remember good things about the departed."

Sirius barked with laughter, "Yeah, nothing to bury but we can spread tales about Nymphadora finding a piece of Fred over here and a piece of George over there, while Severus tried to break into Gringotts through the roof during the excitement. I heard he landed in the roosts for the Gringotts owls. Certainly, improved how he smelled."

Harry and Remus both stared at the dogfather for a long moment and the wizard grinned before going back to the paper.

"Are you sure Kreature isn't giving him some kind of poison to drive him crazy?" Remus asked Harry without trying to hide his question from Sirius hearing it.

"Kreature and Dobby both swear they're doing nothing and no one else is," Harry replied. "They know he's important to me even if he drives me crazy."

"Then it must still be the damage from the Dementors."

"Or he's pretending to be an obnoxious ass to make me feel sorry for him and not let Kreature poison him."

Remus glanced at Sirius who was giggling behind his copy of the Daily Prophet and nodded, "There is that possibility."

"The elves know to not let him out of their sight," Harry said. "I'm thinking about hiring a nurse for him… Some witch with huge tits…"

"No!" shouted Sirius. "Big tits get in the way! Medium sized ones are fine."

(****)

With a pop, Dobby appeared in the kitchen and hurried to whisper in Harry's ear.

"Where?" the teenager asked.

"She's be coming to floo room if you'se allow."

"Sirius," Harry called. "Where's the floo book? We need to add someone."

"Who?" Remus asked.

"Gloria Tremble, she's a jeweller in Diagon Alley and she claims to have the Potter diamond."

The Daily Prophet forgotten on the table; the three wizards hurried to the floo room – along the way, Sirius stepped into another room that no one noticed to get the floo book.

With uncharacteristic seriousness, the wizard instructed his godson, "Remember Harry, no one but your most trusted family members should ever know where you keep the real floo book. You display a decoy in the floo room that they might sneak a peek inside but the real one is well hidden – and never left out."

"Yes, Sirius," Harry replied taking the lesson to heart.

Once Sirius added the woman's name to the book, Dobby popped out and gave her the floo address. The fireplace at No.12 Grimmauld Place flashed green and a neatly dressed, middle-aged witch stepped from the flames.

"Lord Black, Heir Potter, thank you for seeing me this morning," she said before she curtseyed. "My name is Gloria Tremble and I run Glorious Jewels in Diagon Alley with my husband."

"Welcome madam. You asked to speak with my godson," Sirius greeted the woman.

She nodded and explained, "At the end of July, Molly and Arthur Weasley came into our shop one morning to sell us a diamond. My husband took the jewel and gave them just over five hundred galleons though it was obvious the jewel was filled with family magics."

"Why?"

"We are honest tradesmen and didn't want to see the jewel sent into Knockturn where it'd be busted up to harvest the magic and the diamond chips sold for rituals. We knew we could eventually return it to Heir Potter and possibly earn future business."

Remus asked, "And why did you wait almost two weeks to contact us?"

"You are not available with regular owls. Your elf appeared outside my shop this morning and that is how I was able to contact you."

"Dobby?" Harry asked as the little elf popped into the room.

The witch shrugged. "He wore your house emblem and swore to give you the message. And here I am."

The witch withdrew a small package from her pocket and laid it on an end table. Kreature and Dobby both inspected the package for curses, traps and poisons. Finding nothing, Remus stepped forward and opened the paper wrapping to reveal a small glass box with the diamond twinkling in the lights of the floo room.

"You said your husband paid five hundred…" Sirius mentioned.

"Five hundred and thirty-seven galleons," Gloria replied.

"Give her a thousand galleons with the understanding that she never tells anyone how much I paid," Harry said as Remus placed the diamond into Harry's palm. The jewel began glittering even brighter and the teenager smiled.

"What was lost is found," he said with obvious relief.

Sirius nodded, "We must insist that you tell no one about this return or the price we paid. Don't even tell your husband."

"I must tell David. We are partners and have no secrets."

Harry nodded and said, "Very well, tell your husband but neither of you can tell anyone else. And madam, you're blessed if you have a true partnership."

"Do you hold any accounts for the Weasleys?" Remus asked.

"No, Mr Lupin," the witch replied. "They'll never learn how to manage money."

"Once I am married, never give my wife credit in your store. Only I may make purchases," Harry said without any feeling in his voice.

Very quickly, Remus brought the witch a bag with a thousand galleons and she placed it into a pocket in her robes, before once again curtseying to Heir Potter and Lord Black. Then she left through the floo. The minute she was gone, Remus quenched the fire while Sirius struck through her name in the floo book.

"Come along Harry and I will show you where we keep our floo book."

"Can you not be 'crazy Sirius' this afternoon?" Harry asked.  
"I need some advice about family magics."

(****)

SCENE: Percy **Weasley** in the Ministry for Magic

Returning to his office the evening after the memorial service for his twin brothers, Percy Weasley set to work getting through the pile of messages that were cluttered across his desk. Lately, Umbridge began shoving more of her work over onto Percy and he carefully catalogued each task he completed that she took credit for to have when it was time for his annual review.

In a moment of reflection, Percy remembered the memorial service; his mother, sister and younger brother were there. Bill escorted Aunt Muriel this time, though their mother ignored them. Charlie was unable to get time off again so soon after their father's funeral.

When Bill offered, Percy rejected the offer to become a 'Prewitt' – his star was tied to the ministry and it was possible that being brother-in-law to the Boy-Who-Lived would help his career.

He smiled, _'If it doesn't help directly, I can spy on Potter and report to the minister on vault balances, traitorous statements, or even seditious acts that would let the ministry arrest Harry Potter.'_

Throughout the memorial, his mother and sister lay all over Potter with wails and tears that only grated on Percy's nerves. Even Ron had been quiet and stoic for once but Molly and Ginevra cried and clung to the boy-who-lived as though he were the only person available. There'd been no wake or even chance to meet people.

Potter left with his godfather and estate manager immediately after the service ended and then his mother and sister had stopped the tears but continued the wailing with 'Harry deserted us! He didn't order any food and drink!'

The other mourners – Fred and George's few friends from school left for a private gathering but none of the family were invited.

Molly refused Aunt Muriel's offer of a meal at her home though Ron left with his eldest brother and great-aunt while Ginny sighed. Percy went to speak to his mother but she brushed him off.

"Your father dies and you barely have time for his funeral! Now the twins get blown up by Severus Snape and you still hardly have time for your family."

Then she relented and complained about Potter's stinginess. She glanced toward Ginny before beginning to speak again. But Percy anticipated her request and nipped it in the bud.

"No, I won't pay for this memorial service," Percy replied as he turned and walked away.

(***)

A hasty conference was being held in the minister's office that evening. Lucius Malfoy knew he would never recover his full power after the Dark Lord's death drained away a great deal of his magic in early August. The healers told him he was not squibbed but he could barely cast the spell to summon light; consequently, Lucius had ordered an elf follow him around to perform minor tasks such as turning on the lights and opening doors. After losing his temper and killing one elf the week before, Narcissa hexed him painfully and made him swear on what little magic he had left not to kill or maim another elf.

"The elves are expensive and take a long time to train! Stop wasting galleons killing them!" she ranted. Before Lucius could correct his wife's temper, his son agreed with his mother's orders and the pair of them stood him down with drawn wands.

At the insistence of Draco and Narcissa, Lucius arranged this clandestine meeting with Cornelius Fudge. Malfoy remained silent during the meeting – he'd urged his wife and son to start very low with any bribes – Cornelius could be bought for only three or four hundred most days.

"I am daily forced to live with the fact that my family – the Ancient and Noble House of Black – has fallen under the control of a madman and he plans to hand it over to the son of a mudblood whore when he dies!" Narcissa explained.

She motioned to Draco and said, "My dear son reports the Potter boy is barely a wizard and if he marries that Weasel twit, the entirety of Magical Britain will fall under the sway of that family! Can you imagine what Molly Weasel will have to say in the Wizengamot chambers! She'll want to redecorate your office!"

The minister seemed to be thinking and Narcissa pressed ahead saying, "If your office sponsors an investigation into how an escaped criminal made it into Gringotts and signed this shameful betrothal, we can get the Wizengamot to overturn the lordship and my son can become Lord Black before the start of the new school year."

Lucius added, "Without doubt you'll be able to connect Potter to the escaped convict. Then the DMLE will have to arrest him. You can try Potter and send him to Azkaban and collect the Potter fortune… for the ministry."

Cornelius nodded and announced, "Allow me to send for Undersecretary Umbridge. She'll know best how to word the search warrant to set the Aurors on breaking the wards around the Black home and forcing the goblins to give us the information we want. And I have to get some other reports as well for tomorrow."

(***)

In his office, Percy completed the report on tax collections that the Minister needed before the Wizengamot met to approve the final budgets for the DMLE, as well as the other departments in the ministry. Just before 9:00PM, Percy received a message in the form of a paper aeroplane, that Cornelius wanted that report as soon as 'Weatherby' arrived in the morning.

'_I'll deliver it myself right now,' _Percy decided._ 'The minister is still in his office.'_

Rising from his desk, Percy grabbed the report – leaving a copy on his desk – and stepped toward the floo in his office. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and cast it into the fire, calling out, "Minister's office."

Then he stepped into the green flames.

At that exact same moment, Undersecretary Delores Umbridge, stepped into the flames in her office, hurrying to the meeting with Cornelius and the Malfoy family. She carried the unsigned warrants for the arrest of Harry Potter, Sirius Black, and 'Ramon Lupis', a known werewolf associate of the two criminals.

(***)

Magic can ignore many natural laws regarding gravity and the passage of time but even magic can't ignore the consequences of two masses attempting to occupy the same space simultaneously. For unknown reasons, the safe guards in place to prevent such an event failed as Percy Weatherby (Weasley) and Delores Umbridge attempted to emerge from the flames in Cornelius Fudge's office at the exact same second.

(***)

The explosion rocked the lower levels of the Ministry. The Department of Mysteries went into lockdown, the DMLE summoned all off-duty Aurors into the office, and everyone with any power was sent to fight the fires in the lower levels and shore up the walls and support columns.

The remains of Cornelius Fudge, Delores Umbridge, Percy Weasley, and the minister's protection detail of four Aurors were never recovered. Their wands certainly didn't survive the explosion.

The DMLE was forced to perform a headcount in the ministry and it was decided after two days of investigation that Umbridge and Weasley must have been with Fudge in his office at the time of the explosion. The DMLE attempted to squash all rumours through the Daily Prophet ran with the headlines "Assassination" every day for a week.

(***)

After two days without an appearance at the Ministry, St Mungo's, Gringotts or any of the shops in Diagon Alley, the few wizards who associated with the Malfoys attempted to contact them. Owls would not take any letters for the family and the floo was no longer open.

The Aurors made inquiries with Gringotts and were informed that apparently all three members of the family perished at the exact same time as Cornelius Fudge – Lucius, Narcissa, and Cornelius each had wills registered at the bank and the three wills became active at the same time.

With the death of all three of the Malfoys, the strongest wards around their home fell allowing Aurors to swarm over the manor house and make several remarkable discoveries – the ballroom was still in shambles from an explosion that occurred in early August. The corpses of several withered wizards were also discovered and identified.

When one corpse was verified five different ways to have been the until-recently, very much alive Peter Pettigrew, Amelia Bones arranged for Sirius Black to receive a hearing at Gringotts where she administered vertaserum to the escapee and after lengthy questioning, she declared him innocent of all charges. He was recognized as Lord Black by the Wizengamot and as the lawful guardian of Harry Potter.

Wild speculation erupted again, with one reporter going so far as to suggest that Draco had assassinated his father to inherit the Malfoy estate. There was no one to denounce the accusations and the Daily Prophet capitalised on the headlines while Sirius Black met with the goblins and prepared to recall the dowry his cousin took into the marriage. The crafty bankers encouraged him to also recall the dowry from Bellatrix's marriage.

Then goblins arranged the income statements for the past sixteen years so that when they were totalled, the Malfoy estate consisted of a manor house without furnishings and less than enough galleons to pay the property taxes that year. The remainder of the estate was the 'Black dowry' to be returned to Narcissa's family. There was nothing left of the Lestrange estate. The Black family coffers swelled with the reclaimed fortunes from the Malfoy and the Lestrange estates.

(*****)

Percy Weasley was remembered in the memorial service at the Ministry along with Cornelius Fudge and Delores Umbridge. His mother, sister and remaining brother attended with the Prewitts but Harry Potter did not attend and the reporters noted that neither Weasley witch fainted, wailed, or even cried at this son's funeral.

)***(

Part 8: More Unfortunate Events

There was a pause in misfortune for three days as the ministry began repairs to the extensive damages. Horace Greengrass became the new minister despite Dumbledore's recommendation of Alastor Moody, and Director Bones began a process of screening every person who entered the ministry.

She was quoted in the Daily Prophet stating, "Someone brought a powerful explosive device into the ministry. They assassinated the minister for magic! Who is to say they won't try again?"

The newly exonerated Lord Black pushed for the election of Greengrass and he supported each new directive from Bones. Sirius also began a quiet campaign to replace Dumbledore as Chief Warlock and a second whispering campaign to remove him from Hogwarts.

His godfather retreated from the affections of madness and this relieved Harry more than anything else the last week of August.

(****)

SCENE: Albus Dumbledore's Great Moment

Sitting alone in his office, Albus Dumbledore sighed; immediately thereafter, Phineas Black's portrait laughed and announced, "If you can replicate that sigh in front of living wizards, you might actually generate real sympathy."

"I lost two good friends this summer and the Weasley family continues to suffer," Dumbledore complained to the portraits.

"You lost one faithful minion and a tool escaped your grasp by dying!" Black's portrait countered. "Arthur Weasley believed your stories but Snape was prisoner of your blackmail. Don't pretend that they were 'friends'; you have none."

'_Why can't people do what's right?' _the headmaster wondered again. _'The Greater Good is more important than any single life. And the boy will come to understand that in the next life, if not this fall.'_

Thumbing through some papers, Albus frowned to see his vault balance continuing to drop with expenses for the Order of the Phoenix.

'_But Molly will straighten Harry out!' _he decided._ 'My balances will be restored before summer once the Potter vaults are open again.'_

He'd been pleased when Sirius allowed the betrothal to go ahead without unnecessary strings attached to it.

He grinned thinking, _'Sirius signed his own death warrant. Once Harry is married to Ginevra, I don't need his mangy carcass any longer. Harry'll cling to his new wife after we bury his godfather.'_

Then Albus thought about the deaths that struck the Weasley family in such a short time.

'_There's a curse from the Dark Lord! That's what's killing the Weasleys! Tom is trying to weaken Harry with grief!'_ he surmised. _'Tom will certainly try to return this fall here at the school. The fools at the ministry and Daily Prophet are wrong! Tom's not dead – at least not all the way dead.'_

"But how can I get the potions I need for February? Severus is gone," he muttered aloud. "Molly! She can brew the fertility potion for certain – she had seven children!"

"Why do you need a fertility potion, Dumbledore?" asked the portrait of Phineas Black. "Your schemes make me look like an amateur."

Quickly rising to his feet Dumbledore pointed his famous wand in his hand as he stared at the portrait.

"Silence! You were the most hated headmaster in Hogwarts history Phineas and I have long defended you, but no more."

The portrait sneered and replied, "Perhaps the most hated… But soon, not many years from now, there will be a new 'most hated' headmaster! Once you are dead and Magical Britain uncovers your secrets, you will become known as the most hated headmaster!"

Now a third voice was heard, the voice of Hildegard Nusbaum, headmistress from the late 1700s. "Phineas, you will long be known as the 'most hated' headmaster. Albus will have the distinction of being the 'worst headmaster' in Hogwarts history."

"Worst!" cried Dumbledore. "I shall be known as the most powerful wizard since Merlin! I am the best headmaster this school has ever had!"

None of the portraits commented further and Dumbledore noticed that Fawkes had flamed away. The headmaster frowned; he must find proof that Tom Riddle had returned! Just because something happened to the Death Eaters early in August wasn't proof that Tom had died again. With proof of the Dark Lord's return, the wizards and witches of Magical Britain would once again follow Dumbledore's lead.

Sitting back down, Dumbledore poured over his ideas and notions, the stolen memories that led to more information. After many minutes, he rose again to access the pensieve and review a series of memories from the 1920s – the Gaunt family in Little Hangleton. The father in Azkaban, the daughter disappearing, and then the son sent to Azkaban for murder of the Riddle family in early 1940's.

He repeated the earliest memory to make certain he had the location of the shack the Gaunt family called 'home'. Without telling anyone where he was going, Dumbledore left his office and made his way to the front door of the castle and then out to the gates.

Wanting to reserve his magical power this afternoon, Albus walked until he was beyond the castle's wards before he disappeared in blink of apparition.

(*****)

Poppy Pomphrey had returned to Hogwarts three days earlier to begin preparations for the new school year. She'd kept her opinions to herself about Snape's end – an explosion in a seedy potion shop in Knockturn Alley sounded just like the type of accident that would kill the horrible man. She regretted that the Weasley twins were caught in the explosion; they could have been talented wizards if someone had taken them in hand when they were young children. Now it was all wasted.

There was a momentary flicker in the wards when suddenly, Albus Dumbledore appeared and collapsed on the floor in the middle of the infirmary. Without hesitation, the mediwitch set to work, scanning him for injuries. He was incoherent after using a great deal of magic to apparate from some location back into the castle through the wards.

Moments later, Poppy's owl Patronus flew from her wand to summon Minerva, another recent arrival at the castle.

(*****)

When he appeared along a deserted road in Little Hangleton, Albus Dumbledore noted the deserted mansion on the hilltop. He ignored it for the nearby thicket where he used magic freely to cut away saplings, vines, and even trees.

The department for misuse of Magic in London had alarm bells ringing with the free use of so much magic in a muggle area and two Aurors were sent to ensure that the statue of secrecy wasn't in danger. Dora Tonks and Emmeline Vance were still low on the totem pole in the DMLE and they were dispatched to the north of England.

'_I'll never do anything to help Dumbledore again,'_ swore Nymphadora as she vanished from the ministry and reappeared in a clearing. Just ahead, a clear path had been cut through the undergrowth, leading to a dilapidated shack that collapsed as the two Aurors arrived.

Quickly casting spells to check for muggles and for magical people, they only found one magical signature – one they easily recognized as Albus Dumbledore's unique signature.

"Merlin's beard," cursed Vance. "I'm not taking the fall for him again!"

"Me either!" Tonks agreed. "Whatever he wanted; he's gone now. Let's fix the scene so it looks like damage from a storm and then get out of here."

Vance suddenly stepped back, "Yikes! There're a dozen vipers here! Big ones!"

Tonks used her wand to check the serpents. "They're native snakes from Britain. Leave 'em alone and they'll go away. They won't stay together."

Once the underbrush and trees resembled storm damage rather than debris left by magical cutting charms, the two Aurors apparated away to report that an unknown wizard or creature had chewed up a small portion of some woods but there was nothing to draw any muggle's attention.

(*****)

When he awoke – naturally and not by spells – Albus Dumbledore immediately called for a pain potion. His hand felt as if it was on fire. He attempted to lift the hand but found he didn't have the strength. Poppy appeared with a potion bottle and she lifted the headmaster's head and held the bottle to his mouth as he drank the mixture that promised some relief.

"Albus, your hand is cursed and I can't find anything to counteract the spell."

"The ring?" he asked, his voice raspy from a dry throat.

"I carefully removed the finger and stored it, and the ring in a stasis jar."

"My finger?" he asked horrified. Losing a digit on your hand changed all wandless spell casting!

"If I thought it would help, I would have removed your entire hand. But this is beyond my knowledge – if you want to live, you must allow me to bring St. Mungo's into the infirmary, now! This afternoon!"

"No," Dumbledore replied. "They would bring the Department of Mysteries and then the Ministry into the situation."

The headmaster thought for a moment, the pain interfering with his memories but finally he remembered a conversation with Snape before his death.

"In Severus's workroom, there's a new potion to retard curses…"

"And it would just be experimental. No, I won't chance my license giving you any experimental potions!"

"Where's my wand?"

Poppy sniffed and turned away to keep from smacking her patient's face.

"It is in a drawer in my office," she lied. "Minerva and I thought you would do better to rest without attempting to cast any spells for the rest of the day. And you must let me call…"

"No, summon McGonagall!"

(*****)

Minerva McGonagall swept into the Hogwarts infirmary as though a Cerberus was chasing her. She went immediately the bed where Albus lay, with her wand out and casting spells.

"What in the world were you thinking putting an unknown ring on your finger, Albus? At the very least you should have taken it to Gringotts for their curse-breakers to examine…"

"The Dark Lord lay strong compulsions on the ring and it promised to let me see my sister again."

Poppy remained silent for the moment as Minerva and Dumbledore spoke quietly.

"Poppy, what's your diagnosis?" asked Minerva after she glared at the wizard for almost a full minute.

"The curse will advance up the arm and then move to the organs. Albus Dumbledore will rot from within as his brain, lungs, heart, liver and intestines all putrefy…"

"Really! Such language!" Dumbledore complained.

Poppy fussed back saying, "Without some treatment by St. Mungo's, you are dooming yourself to a painful end! You must let the healers from St. Mungo's examine you. They may be able to stave off the curse's advance by many months."

"Only months?" Minerva asked and Poppy nodded.

"At best, I believe you will pass away before the end of the next school year, headmaster," she told her patient.

(*****)

"I want my wand," Albus said. Reluctantly, Minerva nodded and Poppy stepped to the other side of the bed and pulled it from a hidden drawer.

As soon as the wand was in Albus's hand, he attempted to cast a compulsion spell on Minerva – the blue light formed but only moved a few centimetres from the tip of the wand before it faded away.

"I told you not to try…" Poppy began before Albus turned the wand on the mediwitch and attempted to cast the obliviate spell.

This time the wand appeared to object and flew from the headmaster's hand to the cold stone floor of the infirmary where the witches left it.

"Are ye daft?" Minerva yelled. "Ye can't cast! And ye can't cast on ye healers while a dark curse…"

Her wand out again, Minerva cast many spells attempting to determine if Albus was possessed by the Dark Lord. While Albus fussed with Minerva, Poppy proceeded to restrain the headmaster with muggle ties, something St. Mungo had recently adopted from the muggle world.

"Send for the healers from St. Mungo's," ordered Minerva. "We have to know he's safe to be here around children!"

Poppy again held her tongue and headed for the floo.

(*****)

SCENE: Ron Weasley in Diagon Alley

With an invitation from Hermione to share lunch at the Leaky Cauldron before shopping for school supplies, Ron deserted his mother and sister for the afternoon. He used the floo to arrive at the tavern and walked around the alley for a time, staring at the newest brooms for almost a quarter of an hour.

'_Stupid Potter won't buy me a new broom before school,_' he complained silently._ 'I should be on the Quidditch team – I'd be captain if I had a new broom. Then everyone would want to know and Potter would be Ron's brother-in-law. Ginny'll straighten him out and get me money.'_

"Ron, there you are!" called Hermione as she smiled and greeted one of her few friends. "Come along, let's get lunch and then we can go buy our books for school."

"Uh, yeah, lunch would be great. Can you spot me a galleon to pay for it? We're hard up for money with Dad, the twins and Percy dying and all."

"It's my treat today, Ron," Hermione said, attempting to sympathise with the teenage boy. Ron did miss his Dad but had yet to feel any loss for the absence of his brothers.

"How are your mother and Ginny doing?"

"Mom cries some everyday but it always ends up being about Harry not giving her more money," Ron admitted. "And Ginny just wants to escape and go back to Hogwarts. She thinks everyone will be wanting to help with her wedding in February."

"And Harry?"

Ron frowned, "The stupid muggle-lover won't visit, won't give us any galleons, and won't even come flying."

Hermione nodded; since the visit to Grimmauld Place, she'd used the owl service in Diagon Alley to send Harry one long letter that listed her demands to continue their friendship – so far there'd been no reply.

"How about your books?"

"We got new robes earlier in the month. Mom says Harry'll buy our books just before we go back to school," Ron explained. "She's still after him to pay for the funerals and give Ginny some spending cash."

After a nice lunch at the Leaky Cauldron and then ice cream at the nearby Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, the pair were headed to the bookstore. Ron paused for a moment while Hermione walked ahead, talking about their fifth-year classes. He'd spotted a bright red hard candy on the street and bent over to pick it up. There was a little dirt on the candy but he recognized the raspberry flavoured treat from the nearby candy shop.

'_Potter should give me money so I don't have to pick up treats from the street,'_ Moron swore as he brushed it off and then popped the hard candy into his mouth.

"Honestly, Ron!" shrieked Hermione as she saw what the boy had picked up from the street and then put it in his mouth. "What are you doing?"

The muggleborn witch's yell surprized the boy and he swallowed the hard candy, lodging it in his wind pipe. He choked, banged on his chest, and staggered about but then succumbed to suffocation. A pair of wizards restrained Hermione and prevented her from preforming the Heimlich manoeuvre that might have saved Ron's life.

Devastated to watch a friend die, Hermione was escorted home by Auror Dora Tonks who was polite but distant – the Auror decided since Percy's death that anyone who was around a Weasley was subject to being swept up in the curse on the family.

Shacklebolt was drafted to deliver the bad news to Molly and Ginny – he took a case of calming draughts with him and the offer for a pauper's burial in a common grave for the boy.

(*****)

SCENE: Hermione's New School

When Hermione's parents returned home from work and found their distraught daughter in tears and hysterics, they got the story out of her – she witnessed a friend choke to death. They called their physician who prescribed a strong tranquilizer and a change of scenery.

"If Hermione's current educational environment is as full of death as you hint, I can only ask why you would consider allowing her to return," the woman said. "Get her into a different school, a different country, something."

The next morning, Richard Granger went to Gringotts Bank where for fifty pounds, he was put into contact with Beauxbaton, the magical school in the south of France. The paper work to transfer his daughter was completed and forwarded to the school immediately. With the medical prescription – even from a muggle physician – Hermione's transfer was immediately approved and the family left for France the next morning. Hermione would rest, purchase her supplies in France, and being her orientation for the new school on 27 August.

(*****)

SCENE: Ginny Weasley Flying Above the Orchard

"Ginny, where are you going?" Molly hissed as her daughter attempted to slip out the back door.

"I was going to gather the eggs," Ginny lied. "The hens have been cackling all morning so I know there are some in the chicken coop."

Molly noticed her daughter was in regular robes so she wasn't attempting to sneak away again. With only one child left at home, Molly's full attention was focused on her daughter.

"Very well… but be quick. We'll have a lesson on manners this afternoon if I can find that book from Aunt Muriel."

"I think it's in the lounge somewhere," Ginny lied again. She'd hidden the book in the twin's deserted bedroom under the mattress. No one was going to tell her who she had to curtsey to at parties.

"I'll go look," Molly said heading toward the lounge as Ginny sped in the opposite direction, around the other side of the Burrow where her broom lay on the ground. She'd dropped it from her bedroom window and was determined to spend the rest of the day in the air.

'_I wonder how many Quidditch teams would want to hire the husband and wife team of Ginny and Harry Potter?' _she mused._ 'Harry would let me play seeker in every game and he'd be the reserve.'_

She frowned for a moment; last night her mother spoke at length about the need for two sons as soon as possible.

'_Babies…' _Ginny shivered._ 'I really don't want babies… I wonder if Harry can blood adopt like the Diggory family? Then I don't have to get fat.'_

(*****)

Enjoying her time in the bright sunshine, Ginny was caught off guard by the shout from Zacharias Smith, rising on his broomstick from the ground.

"Smith, what are you doing here?" Ginny asked, hovering for just a moment. He swept past and then turned back around. Zach could barely hover on his broom so they flew to the ground to talk.

"Hi Ginny! Uh… sorry to hear about your Dad… and your brothers…"

"Thanks Zach, I miss my Dad… and my brothers," Ginny replied with some hesitancy as if she were repeating something she'd been coached to say. "What are you doing here?"

He motioned back along the path where he appeared and explained, "My mom wanted to come and see the new kids at Diggory's. She's excited about blood adopting another baby. She misses me and now my sister when we're away at school."

"So, why'd you come to The Burrow?"

"Thought I'd drop over and see if you wanted to fly? I used to come fly with Ron," Zach said though Ginny couldn't remember her brother ever mentioning a visit by Smith.

"Okay," Ginny said as she jumped on her broom and took off with the boy in pursuit. They flew for a long time, hiding in the sunlight when Ginny spotted her mother in the field looking for her.

"I'm knackered," Zach said. "Think I better head back to Diggory's so Mom can floo home."

"Wait," Ginny said. "Come to the Burrow. Your mom will floo home and you can use our floo later."

"I don't think so… Mom would get all over me to interrupt your mourning for your brothers and your Dad."

Ginny smiled and said, "But I need comfort, Zach… No one comforts me in my grief. We can go to my room and you can help me deal with my sorrow."

Smith grinned. He'd heard from Seamus how Ginny liked to be 'comforted' in the broom closets around Hogwarts. They flew toward The Burrow and landed just outside the backdoor. Carrying the brooms up the stairs, Ginny ushered Zach into her bedroom before she shut and locked the door. She cast silencing spells as well and turned toward the Hufflepuff boy with a smile on her face.

'_If Harry only knew what he was missing this afternoon,'_ she thought with a grin as Smith couldn't take his eyes off her cleavage.

He stepped close for a kiss and Ginny tilted her head and slid her arms around his neck as the boy's lips touched hers, his hands sliding underneath her blouse.

(****)

Molly sighed wearily as she made her way back toward The Burrow; Arthur and her sons were dead, Ginny was acting so peevishly, and now she was without any funds or income. She sighed again and thought, _'If only Harry Potter would act properly toward his betrothed's family, my problems would be solved.'_

Just before she reached the backdoor, Molly heard a scream of terror originating from her house. Frozen in place for a moment, she stared as the backdoor flew open and a teenage boy came running out of the house, tearing across the yard and screaming the entire time. He disappeared into the orchard while Molly ran into the house. She hurried up the stairs and once she found Ginny's room, she opened the door, breaking the silencing spell and heard her daughter's final screams.

Ginny was… she was withering with pain. Her eyes were already sunken and her flesh dried up. Before Molly could reach her daughter, she lay still on the floor with flakes of skin falling away and her skin shrinking back from her lips to leave a horrible smile of death burnt into Molly's mind.

Molly collapsed to the floor, staring at the desiccated corpse of her daughter. The passage of time meant nothing to her, even after the Aurors arrived and someone led Molly to her bedroom where she was given a potion and placed in her bed.

(*****)

"I don't know what happened," the teenage boy told the Auror who interviewed him at home with both of his parents present. "We were just starting to kiss and suddenly, Ginny screamed. She began getting old or wrinkling like, and she screamed and screamed…"

The female Auror asked, "What were you doing at the Weasleys?"

"I wanted to go flying… I used to sneak away and meet Ron there to fly in their orchard. Mum went to visit Mrs Diggory so I went along."

"Where's your broom?" she asked the boy.

His face turned white when he remembered where he'd left his broom. He stuttered saying, "It's there… There in Ginny's room…"

Mrs Smith spoke up, "It's true Auror Vance. Zach brought his broom and walked over from the Diggory house to fly above the Weasley's orchard."

The Auror sent her Patronus with a message and they waited until another Patronus returned confirming that there was an extra broom present in the bedroom.

"And you ran from the house?"

"I was scared!" Zach admitted. "All I wanted was to get as far away as possible. I kissed a girl and she died… in my arms, she screamed and began to dry up."

"Did you see anyone else?" Vance asked. "Anyone when you went to the house, or when you ran back to the Diggory home?"

Zach shook his head. "Mrs Weasley was out. I didn't see anyone but… I ran so fast that I couldn't see… don't remember."

Outside the lounge, Vance spoke to Mr Smith while Mrs Smith comforted their son. "I'll get the broom back to you in a day or two, sir. I don't think there'll be any charges."

(*****)

SCENE: Molly Weasley

It was late in the day, the sun finally setting, when Muriel Prewitt apparated into the backyard of The Burrow. She saw Bill standing just inside the door and could hear Molly's shrill voice yelling at her eldest son.

The witch left her wand in her hand as she approached the door, calling out, "Hello!"

"Aunt, come inside please," Bill said as Muriel reached the doorway.

"Why did you allow them to take Ginny away?" Molly screamed.

"Ginny is dead, Mom. They have to perform…"

"Dead! No! No! I don't believe it! All my children are dead!" Molly screamed.

"Molly, stop that!" Muriel ordered. "Your grief is real but don't lose yourself in illusions!"

"This is all Harry Potter's fault!" Molly shouted. "If he'd given me the galleons I wanted, Arthur wouldn't have died. The twins would be alive! Percy would be working at the Ministry! Ron would be… Ron. And Ginny would be trying on new wedding robes! This is Harry Potter's fault!"

"Mother, Potter didn't do this," Bill began to explain but Muriel lay a hand on his arm and shook her head. And while Bill and Muriel weren't paying attention, Molly grabbed Muriel's wand and ran out into the yard.

She raised the wand in her hand and Molly Weasley disappeared in a wink of apparition.

"Where did she go?" Muriel asked as Bill cast a spell to track his mother's apparition.

(****)

Harry Potter was in the library at No.12 Grimmauld Place arguing over a passage in a book about transfiguration with Remus when Sirius suddenly ran into the room, casting shields over the three of them.

"What are you doing Pads?" asked Remus.

"Someone just tried to apparate through the wards."

"What do you mean?" asked Harry; surprized, scared and interested at the same time.

"Through these wards?" asked the werewolf with his best expression of disbelief on his face. He shook his head to reassure Harry and Sirius that they were safe.

"Dumbledore on his best day might make a dent after two or three days… A team of ward busters from the DMLE might cause some damage after a week but half of them would be dead from backfires, discharges, and draining," Remus explained. "I studied these wards carefully before I agreed to hide out here with Padfoot. No one is getting in here without an invitation."

"What happens to someone who tries to break in?" asked Harry.

"They get fried, chewed up, torn apart, and spit back out," Sirius replied.

"So, there're body parts laying around in the street?" Harry asked, the disgust easy to see on his face.

Shaking his head, Sirius explained, "Probably not but they may show up in other places… My family has a weird sense of humour."

The three wizards took the time to check outside the windows and eventually walked outside to check the nearby park and the street. Kreature found a woman's hand on the roof of the house but he only told this news to Disappointment of a Master, and not Heir Harry Black. Sirius ordered the elf to dispose of the hand and not tell Harry. If Remus recognized any scents, he kept the information to himself.

Kreature and Dobby exchanged glances after the hand was found – they made certain there was nothing else found around their now spotless home. And they prepared all of the comfort foods that were Harry Potter's favourites for a late supper.

(*****)

A large Gringotts owl appeared at No.12 Grimmauld Place just after sunset on 30 August. Remus, Sirius and Harry were all in the kitchen as Kreature and Dobby cleared away the supper leftovers and dirty dishes.

"What's this big boy got for us?" Sirius asked as Remus removed the letter and carefully performed scans on it before opening it, reading it, and then handing it to Padfoot.

As he read the letter Sirius frowned, but then he handed the letter to Harry who read it, sighed and lay his head on his arms on the table. Sirius carefully came and took the teenager in his arms and held him while he cried. Dobby wrapped his arms around one of Harry's legs and even Kreature sat on the back of the chair to pat Harry's back.

Remus gathered up the letter from the table top and folded it back up.

(****)

**Heir Potter – It is the duty of Gringotts Bank to inform you that Ginevra Weasley has violated your betrothal agreement. The penalty for the type of betrayal (intimacy with another person) is a quick though painful death. Miss Weasley has passed and you are no longer betrothed. **

**We recommend you observe a period of no less than twelve months in mourning to allow your family magics to settle. The betrothal ring has reappeared in your vaults though the diamond is missing. **

**Respectfully, **

**Silverknife, Potter Account Manager. **

(****)

Harry waited until the Christmas vacation to bring the diamond to Gringotts and the goblins reattached the gem soaked in the Potter family magics. He returned the restored ring to the simple ring box and stored it in his family vault under the careful gaze of his godfather before the last day of the year. It would be several years before he needed it again.

(****)

The next year Bill Prewitt tore down the Burrow and disposed of the artefacts from the house, including his mother's clock. He and Charlie agreed to sell the property almost fifteen years later to a successful muggleborn businessman named Dennis Creevy who built a modern home that was a blend of muggle and wizard technologies for his growing family.

(****)

Part 9: Hogwarts ExpressSCENE: 31 August 1995

Harry stumbled downstairs just after ten that last morning of summer vacation. He'd spent many hours the night before listening to Sirius tell him over and over that the events of the past month had not been Harry's fault.

"You didn't push anyone to be stupid. We didn't give you a choice in the betrothal agreement and you're not the reason…"

"…that people died?"

"Exactly. If they'd not been greedy or planned to do you harm, the Potter family magic would not have removed them."

Harry snorted and said, "That's a good way to describe it… 'remove'."

"What will you do about the Smith boy?" asked Remus after brunch.

"Who?" Harry asked. He'd not read the Daily Prophet with the report of Ginny's death and Molly's disappearance.

Silverknife had made good on his promise to buy up Death Eater assets when the families were scrambling to survive – Harry and Sirius owned 83% of the Daily Prophet and similar majorities in the other major publications in Magical Britain. The primary demand from the new owners was that the papers print the truth and only the truth. Rita Skeeter was on a short leash and wouldn't make it long as an employee.

Sirius coughed before he explained, "The boy who was kissing…" He waved his hands about before continuing, "…when she died."

Harry shrugged at first and then listened to the family magics before saying, "I suppose my guardian should send the boy's father a letter stating that if Zacharias Smith will swear to keep his mouth shut about the incident and not tell anyone, I will agree to forget the insult to the Potter name. But if he tells anyone, I will swear to tell every witch in Britain that to kiss Zacharias Smith is to die a painful death."

Sirius nodded and immediately penned the letter that he and Harry both signed. Remus applied the family seals from both the Black and Potter families before Hedwig flew away with the letter.

"Now, all your shopping complete?" Sirius asked as Harry looked through the paper.

Harry nodded, "Everything I need was delivered by Hedwig this week." He half smiled and continued, "I kinda want to stay home with you and Remus today."

"Me too! I like my company very much and Remus is smelly, but tells good stories," Sirius teased as he hugged Harry again.

"Sirius!" Harry laughed along with his godfather.

"Come on, let's bake some biscuits!" Sirius pleaded.

No!" screamed Kreature as he popped into the room. "Last times Disappointments tries to bake, Kreature has to paint kitchen and buy all news pans and bowls! No! No!"

(*****)

SCENE: 1 September 1995

The next morning, the Daily Prophet broke the news that Albus Dumbledore was cursed by a magic ring left by the Dark Lord. The paper contained interviews with the Minister for Magic and the Director of the DMLE, though several healers from St. Mungo's refused to comment.

Dumbledore had refused all interviews.

Gringotts issued a press release stating that if Dumbledore had brought them the ring to break the curses before he tried it on, he might have lived to be 150 years old.

The Daily Prophet quoted unnamed sources at St. Mungo's who encouraged everyone to allow the headmaster to live the last 'months' of his life in peace.

"I'll push for a new headmaster to be appointed before Christmas," Sirius said at the breakfast table.

"You'd throw Dumbledore out in the snow?" asked Remus.

"Well, yes if I could get away with it," Lord Black replied. "But I am realistic enough to understand public sentiment at this time. I'll suggest that the new headmaster serve alongside Dumbledore… a passing of the wards to the new man. Dumbledore can be Headmaster Emeritus."

"What about McGonagall?" asked Remus. "She'd make a great headmistress."

"She can apply just like anyone else for the position with the other members of the board."

Harry asked, "When did you get on the Board of Governors for Hogwarts?"

Sirius grinned. "When 'Lucy' died… The Blacks held the seat for generations. While I was indisposed, Lucy Malfoy took it up and now it is mine again. I can't wait to show up in muggle blue jeans and throw out the whole curriculum!"

"Wait on the blue jeans until I graduate. Please?" Harry begged.

"It's the duty of every godfather to embarrass his godson at some point or other!"

(*****)

Buried deep inside the paper were the announcements of the death of Ginevra Weasley and the disappearance of Molly Weasley. The only comment was the request from Bill Prewitt for anyone finding his mother, to report it to the DMLE. The paper ignored the previous betrothal between Harry Potter and the dead girl. The editors all had orders that there wasn't to be any mention of Harry, his status as eligible, single, or heir to any name, again until after the first of the year.

Rita Skeeter burst a blood vessel when the editor refused to print her fictional piece that Harry stalked the poor Weasley girl down and cast the spell that killed her.

"Do you know what Lord Black would do to you? What he would do to me if the paper printed that dragon crap?" the wizard asked.

"But it would sell papers!" argued Skeeter before the editor refused.

"Then… then I…" Skeeter began to say before she grabbed at her head and dropped over on the floor. She was dead less than a minute later.

(****)

SCENE: The Train Ride

Later that morning, the dogfather hugged his godson before the teenager climbed on board the Hogwarts Express. The crowd gave them a wide berth when they entered the station, but Harry was relieved when Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood stopped and invited him to share a compartment.

"We'll have to protect the firsties," Neville said. "I was made prefect."

"Congratulations, Neville! That's great!" Harry said sincerely.

"Write every week Harry and I'll see you at Christmas," Sirius said as the boy started to walk away.

Harry hurried back for one last hug and said, "I love you dogfather."

"I love you too pup."

(****)

After the first hour, while Neville was away at the prefects' meeting, Harry and Luna had a revolving door of visitors including Susan Bones (Hannah was a Hufflepuff prefect), Lavender Brown, and a sprinkling of Ravenclaws and Slytherins. Without Draco, none of the Slytherins attempted to cause trouble, though Theo Nott sneered and began to make a comment about mud… until he saw the pair of Heir Rings on Harry's fingers. Then he turned pale and ran off.

"Hope he's not going to channel Draco this year," Harry remarked. Luna laughed, a clear and happy sound that cheered Harry's heart.

"The Notts are vassals of the Black family," she explained. "Ask your dogfather to write a letter to Theo's grandfather suggesting the Theo take his place at your heel."

"My heel?"

Luna laughed and said, "I believe the 'dog' would appreciate the play-on-words making Nott 'heel'."

Later Seamus, Dean, Parvati appeared with Lavender again.

"Harry, what happened to Ron and Hermione?" Parvati asked. Harry glanced over the other Gryffindors and decided they'd voted to get her to ask – she was always polite to everyone.

"Ron died. He choked to death on something in Diagon Alley," Harry said. "It was in the paper."

"And all his family died! Including your fiancé! Are you heartbroken?" Lavender asked in a rush of questions.

Harry's eyebrows rose as he coldly asked, "Why Rita Skeeter, I believe you're using Polyjuice to pretend to be a 'friend' and ask impossible questions."

Lavender blushed but pressed ahead, "But what happened?"

"Miss Brown, I can solemnly swear that all I know is what is printed in the Daily Prophet. Now if you'll excuse me…"

"Wait, Harry, what happened to Hermione? She's not here too! Did she die too?" asked Parvati.

"Hermione left for another school," Harry explained. "I've not had any letters from her since Ron died but I think there were just too many unhappy memories for her to come back to Hogwarts."

"Where'd she go?" asked Lavender but Harry ignored the girl.

(****)

SCENE: Halloween

The first two months of Harry's fifth year were slow and seemed to vary between excitement (DADA with an excellent instructor) and boredom (History with Binns). Potions, runes, charms and transfiguration were good classes this fifth year. Zacharias Smith gave Harry a wide berth though neither boy said anything to each other. There were never any whispers (that Harry heard) about Ginny or the other Weasley deaths.

Lavender continued to ask Harry about the Weasleys and Hermione until she received a visit from her father and mother on a Saturday morning. That evening at dinner, Miss Brown offered Heir Potter an apology for her rude behaviour and never mention the subject again.

In the middle of September, Parvati and Padma put their heads together and used a letter delivery service in Hogsmeade to send a letter to Hermione Granger with the address 'anywhere in the magical world'. At the end of the month they received a short reply Hermione stating that she attended school in another country but she declined any further communication with her former school mates.

During the two months of school, the students noticed that Dumbledore didn't receive any students in his office – none. Neville shared with Harry that McGonagall and Pomphrey had met with the prefects and told them that if they saw the headmaster walking in the hallways, they were stop everything and summon a professor.

Harry wrote to Sirius with the news, and there was a contentious Board of Governors meeting wherein McGonagall threatened to resign if they forced Dumbledore to leave Hogwarts.

"He's sick and dying. How is he able to run a school?" asked Harold Greengrass, Minister for Magic as well as Chairman of the Board.

"I am running…"

Augusta Longbottom chimed in, "So now you're doing four jobs! What's the quality of your teaching this year? Have you had a single house meeting yet?"

McGonagall was furious and demanded to know what the board planned to do.

"We have hired an additional transfiguration professor to take over all of the lower four years. We have hired a new deputy headmaster, and we're promoting you to headmistress," Sirius announced. "If you wish to teach the fifth to seven years in transfiguration, we'll allow that."

"No, ye can't do that to him…"

Greengrass interrupted the new headmistress by adding, "And we are promoting Dumbledore to Headmaster Emeritus. He'll have his office and title but no responsibilities. A healer from St. Mungo's has been assigned to the school to care for the headmaster's everyday needs for potions."

"But…"

(*****)

"Did you notice Dumbledore never walks anywhere anymore," Neville remarked at lunch one day. "He sits like he's charmed to be upright in his chair at the staff table."

"And he's only here for one meal each day though they rotate which meal," Harry added.

Luna joined them and leaned closer to them and sang, "A pocket full of posies, there's a ring around the rosies… Ashes, ashes, the last nargle falls down."

"What?" asked Neville confused but Harry nodded his head once in understanding.

"Harry's nargels have all gone away… all but one and he'll soon be gone," Luna explained and Neville nodded a moment after he thought about the pretty seer's words.

(****)

It was during the Halloween Feast that Dumbledore breathed his last. The students were laughing and preparing for desserts to be served when suddenly, the Headmaster Emeritus began coughing and begging for the pain to stop. He jerked first one way and then other before he gasped one last time and died.

(****)

There was an elaborate funeral for Dumbledore at the Ministry of Magic with many speakers and dignitaries remembering his accomplishments during a long life. Lord Black attended and listened attentively to each speaker without comment.

A second memorial service was held at Hogwarts and the new Headmistress made attendance compulsory. Harry spoke with Sirius about skipping the service but Remus intervened and cautioned them not to make enemies of current allies.

"You can mediate or even practice your occlumency lessons but attend the memorial service," Remus told Harry.

Sirius shook his head though, "Damn you for making sense again, Mooney."

"That's what you pay me for!" Remus reminded the wizard who nodded.

"Harry, I'll tell you a little secret about surviving a terrible funeral or any meetings…"

"What?"

"Imagine the speaker being naked. Usually it'll shock you so badly you'll be quiet without any problems. Now, if you get a looker at the podium you might have a problem but wizard robes have a lot of room in them…"

"You… Poison! I swear!" Harry sputtered and ended the call. After the service Harry wrote a long letter to his dogfather and insisted the man imagine a long list of speakers as naked… all old professors, old students and old dogs!

(*****)

Epilogue

Harry Potter completed his education at Hogwarts and then took a year to travel around the world with his godfather and their trusted wolf. When the trio returned to Britain, Lord Black returned to his seat in the Wizengamot, and Remus continued to manage both estates very successfully.

The new Lord Potter attended university at Cambridge and studied History and Politics. He remained active in the Magical World and grew passionate about protecting the Statue of Secrecy by educating magical children properly.

He married once, raised a large family, and lived a long happy, life.


End file.
